McDonald's has pulled a holiday advertisement produced using Artificial Intelligence following encountering considerable public disapproval.
The 45-second film was created via AI-generated video and was initially released on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Removal
Soon after it aired, audiences online denounced the implementation of AI in the film. A number of described it as "uncanny" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This moment serves as an valuable learning as we examine the effective use of Artificial Intelligence," commented a representative from the company.
The advert was created for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of things that might go awry during the festive season, using the theme "the worst time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI-Generated Ads
Adverts that include generative AI have emerged as a growing trend among prominent brands, notably for the Christmas season.
- Coca-Cola has recently released back-to-back AI-generated Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: As clips made with generative AI are prone to distort the more extended they are, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also raised concerns about job displacement in the advertising industry, with some commenters noting it could negatively impact opportunities for production staff.
Defense from the Production Company
After the video's removal, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
She stated, the production process required "over a month and a half" and involved generating "numerous versions" which were then shaped in post-production "just as 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 criticized, the reception for other AI-generated holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas spot from another major brand according to analysis received a significant "favorable response" from the public.
However, various brands have likewise faced scrutiny for employing AI in advertising. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics described as "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The situation highlights the ongoing debate within the advertising and production sectors about the trade-off between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
