The global fast-food chain has removed a holiday advertisement created with Artificial Intelligence after receiving significant public disapproval.
The short film was produced via generative AI clips and was originally uploaded on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, audiences online denounced the use of AI in the advert. Many labeled it "disturbing" and "poorly edited".
"This moment serves as an valuable learning as we examine the effective utilization of AI," said a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was developed for the brand by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various scenarios that can go wrong over the festive season, under the theme "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Trend of AI Commercials
Campaigns that incorporate AI-created content have emerged as a increasing trend among prominent brands, especially for the holiday period.
- Coca-Cola has recently released back-to-back AI-created Christmas ads.
- Technical Challenges: Because videos produced using generative AI are more likely to degrade the longer they run, most AI video outputs tend to be roughly six to 10 seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The video also sparked worries about the replacement of human roles in the advertising sector, with some commenters stating it could reduce work for production staff.
Response from the Production Company
After the ad being taken down, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project.
According to her, the development took "over a month and a half" and involved generating "countless iterations" which were then edited afterward "just as we would on any standard production".
"This was not an AI gimmick," she said. "It was a proper commercial."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's ad was mostly criticized, the sentiment for some AI-generated campaigns has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a 61% "favorable response" from the public.
However, other businesses have also faced scrutiny for using the technique in advertising. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that some called "low-effort" and "uncanny".
The incident highlights the evolving conversation within the advertising and creative sectors about the balance between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
