The Fast-Food Giant Takes Down AI-Generated Holiday Commercial After Online Criticism.

McDonald's has pulled a Christmas advertisement produced via generative AI following facing widespread criticism on social media.

The 45-second spot was created using AI-generated video and was originally published online for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.

Audience Reaction and Removal

Soon after it aired, audiences online lambasted the use of AI in the commercial. Several described it as "creepy" and "poorly edited".

"This moment represents an valuable learning as we explore the effective application of AI," commented a representative from the company.

The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It showed various situations that often go badly during the Christmas break, with the theme "the most terrible time of the year".

The Trend of AI Commercials

Commercials that feature AI tools have emerged as a increasing phenomenon among major brands, especially for the Christmas season.

• Coca-Cola has also released consecutive AI-created holiday ads.
• Technical Challenges: As clips created using generative AI are more likely to distort the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be about a few seconds in length.
• Industry Concerns: The ad also sparked concerns about automation in the advertising sector, with some commenters pointing out it could affect opportunities for camera crews.

Response from the Creators

Following the video's removal, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.

Bridge claimed, the production process took "over a month and a half" and involved generating "countless iterations" which were then edited afterward "just as we would on any high-craft production".

"This wasn't an experiment," she commented. "It was a proper commercial."

Divisive Audience Sentiment

While the McDonald's commercial was predominantly criticized, the reception for other AI-generated holiday ads has been divisive.

For instance, a consecutive AI-generated holiday ad from Coca-Cola reportedly received a 61% "favorable response" from the public.

However, several companies have also received scrutiny for using AI in marketing. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that some called "cheap" and "uncanny".

The situation highlights the ongoing debate within the advertising and creative industries about the balance between AI efficiency and audience reception.