McDonald's Takes Down AI-Created Festive Advertisement In the Wake of Public Outcry.

McDonald's has pulled a Christmas advertisement produced with generative AI after encountering significant public disapproval.

The short film was created via AI-generated video and was first released publicly for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.

Audience Criticism and Removal

Soon after it aired, commenters denounced the use of AI in the advert. Several labeled it "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".

"This incident represents an key learning as we investigate the appropriate utilization of AI," said a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.

The advert was created for the brand by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of scenarios that often go badly during the Christmas break, using the theme "the worst time of the year".

The Phenomenon of AI Commercials

Commercials that incorporate AI-created content have become a growing trend among large companies, notably for the holiday season.

• Coca-Cola has similarly launched back-to-back AI-generated Christmas ads.
• Inherent Limitations: Since videos made using current AI video tools are more likely to become unstable the longer they run, most such clips tend to be about a few seconds in length.
• Industry Concerns: The video also provoked fears about the replacement of human roles in the advertising sector, with some commenters noting it could negatively impact work for production staff.

Defense from the Production Company

Following the video's removal, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.

She stated, the development took "seven weeks" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then shaped during the edit "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".

"This wasn't an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "The result was a film."

Mixed Audience Sentiment

While the McDonald's ad was mostly criticized, the reception for other AI-assisted campaigns has been divisive.

For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a 61% "positive feedback" from the public.

However, other businesses have likewise received backlash for using the technique in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that some described as "lazy" and "uncanny".

The situation illustrates the evolving discussion within the advertising and creative sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and creative integrity.