The Fast-Food Giant Takes Down AI-Generated Festive Advertisement In the Wake of Online Criticism.

McDonald's has removed a Christmas advertisement created with generative AI following facing widespread criticism on social media.

The 45-second spot was produced with the help of AI-generated video and was originally released on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.

Audience Reaction and Decision to Pull

Shortly after its release, commenters criticized the use of AI in the film. Several labeled it "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".

"This incident serves as an key learning as we examine the proper utilization of generative technology," said a statement from the company.

The advert was produced for the brand by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It showed various things that can go wrong over the Christmas break, using the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".

The Movement of AI in Advertising

Commercials that incorporate AI tools have become a growing trend among large brands, particularly for the holiday campaign season.

• Another beverage giant has also released back-to-back AI-created holiday commercials.
• Inherent Limitations: As clips made using current AI video tools are more likely to become unstable the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be roughly a few seconds in length.
• Industry Concerns: The video also sparked fears about job displacement in the creative sector, with some observers pointing out it could reduce opportunities for actors.

Defense from the Production Company

Following the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.

According to her, the development required "seven weeks" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then edited during the edit "in the same way we would on any traditional production".

"This wasn't just an AI gimmick," she said. "The result was a film."

Mixed Public Reception

While the Dutch McDonald's ad was predominantly panned, the reception for some AI-assisted holiday ads has been varied.

For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday spot from Coca-Cola reportedly received a significant "positive feedback" from the public.

However, other businesses have also received criticism for using AI in marketing. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that some described as "lazy" and "disturbing".

The incident illustrates the ongoing debate within the advertising and production sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and audience reception.