McDonald's Removes Artificial Intelligence Festive Advertisement In the Wake of Online Criticism.

McDonald's has pulled a Christmas commercial made with AI after facing widespread public disapproval.

The 45-second spot was produced via AI video tools and was first published online for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.

Social Media Response and Removal

Following its publication, viewers on social media criticized the employment of AI in the advert. A number of labeled it "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".

"This incident serves as an key learning as we investigate the effective use of AI," stated a statement from McDonald's Netherlands.

The commercial was developed for the brand by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of situations that often go badly during the festive season, using the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".

A Growing Trend of AI Commercials

Adverts that incorporate generative AI have become a rising trend among prominent corporations, notably for the Christmas season.

• Coca-Cola has recently released consecutive AI-created holiday commercials.
• Inherent Limitations: As segments created using current AI video tools are more likely to degrade the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be only six to 10 seconds in length.
• Industry Concerns: The ad also sparked fears about automation in the advertising industry, with some commenters noting it could reduce opportunities for production staff.

Defense from the Creators

After the ad being taken down, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.

According to her, the development took "over a month and a half" and involved generating "countless iterations" which were then crafted during the edit "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".

"This wasn't just an experiment," she commented. "We consider it a proper commercial."

Mixed Audience Sentiment

While the Dutch McDonald's ad was largely panned, the reception for some AI-generated holiday ads has been more mixed.

For instance, a recent AI-created holiday spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis garnered a significant "positive feedback" from online commenters.

However, various brands have also encountered criticism for using the technique in their campaigns. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that some described as "cheap" and "uncanny".

The episode highlights the ongoing discussion within the marketing and creative sectors about the trade-off between AI efficiency and audience reception.