McDonald's has taken down a holiday advertisement made using generative AI following receiving considerable public disapproval.
The brief film was produced using AI-generated video and was initially released publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.
Audience Response and Decision to Pull
Shortly after its release, audiences online criticized the implementation of AI in the advert. Several called it "uncanny" and "jarringly assembled".
"This experience represents an important learning as we investigate the effective utilization of AI," said a representative from the company.
The advert was developed for McDonald's by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It depicted various things that often go badly over the holidays, with the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Trend of AI-Generated Ads
Commercials that incorporate AI tools have become a growing phenomenon among prominent corporations, particularly for the holiday campaign season.
- Another beverage giant has also released back-to-back AI-generated holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: As clips produced with generative AI are susceptible to become unstable the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be only a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also sparked fears about the replacement of human roles in the creative sector, with some observers pointing out it might reduce opportunities for camera crews.
Defense from the Creators
Following the ad being taken down, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
She stated, the creation required "seven weeks" and involved generating "numerous versions" which were then shaped during the edit "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This wasn't an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "We consider it a finished piece."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was mostly panned, the reception for some AI-assisted holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas ad from Coca-Cola reportedly achieved a 61% "favorable response" from the public.
However, other businesses have likewise faced backlash for using the technique in marketing. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that some described as "lazy" and "disturbing".
The situation highlights the continuing debate within the marketing and creative industries about the balance between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
