The global fast-food chain has removed a holiday advert made with Artificial Intelligence following encountering widespread criticism on social media.
The 45-second ad was created with the help of AI video tools and was originally published online for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Audience Response and Decision to Pull
Following its publication, audiences online lambasted the use of AI in the advert. Many described it as "creepy" and "poorly edited".
"This experience is an valuable lesson as we explore the effective application of generative technology," said a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.
The advert was developed for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of things that often go badly over the Christmas break, under the theme "the worst time of the year".
The Movement of AI Commercials
Commercials that incorporate generative AI have become a growing phenomenon among large companies, notably for the holiday season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly released back-to-back AI-generated Christmas ads.
- Inherent Limitations: As videos produced with generative AI are prone to distort the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be about six to 10 seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also sparked concerns about job displacement in the creative industry, with some observers pointing out it might reduce opportunities for camera crews.
Defense from the Production Company
After the video's removal, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.
She stated, the creation required "seven weeks" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then crafted during the edit "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This was not an experiment," she commented. "The result was a film."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's commercial was predominantly panned, the reception for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas ad from another major brand according to analysis achieved a significant "positive feedback" from the public.
However, other businesses have also received backlash for using the technique in marketing. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that critics described as "low-effort" and "disturbing".
The incident highlights the evolving conversation within the advertising and creative industries about the balance between new tools and creative integrity.
