The global fast-food chain has taken down a holiday commercial created with AI after receiving significant criticism on social media.
The brief film was created with the help of AI video tools and was initially published publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Response and Removal
Soon after it aired, commenters denounced the use of AI in the film. A number of called it "uncanny" and "poorly edited".
"This moment serves as an key learning as we investigate the effective application of AI," stated a statement from the company.
The commercial was created for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of situations that can go wrong over the festive season, using the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Movement of AI Commercials
Adverts that incorporate AI-created content have emerged as a rising phenomenon among prominent corporations, especially for the holiday period.
- Another beverage giant has also released back-to-back AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Inherent Limitations: Since segments produced with current AI video tools are prone to distort the longer they run, most such clips tend to be roughly a few seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also raised fears about job displacement in the production industry, with some observers pointing out it might affect opportunities for camera crews.
Response from the Production Company
Following the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.
She stated, the production process took "over a month and a half" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then crafted during the edit "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't just an AI trick," she said. "The result was a proper commercial."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the McDonald's ad was mostly panned, the reception for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas ad from another major brand according to analysis garnered a 61% "favorable response" from the public.
However, several companies have also faced backlash for employing AI in marketing. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that some called "cheap" and "uncanny".
The situation underscores the evolving conversation within the marketing and creative industries about the trade-off between new tools and creative integrity.
