The Fast-Food Giant Pulls AI-Generated Festive Advertisement After Public Outcry.

The global fast-food chain has removed a Christmas advertisement created with AI after facing significant criticism on social media.

The short spot was created via generative AI clips and was initially published publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's back on 6 December.

Audience Response and Decision to Pull

Shortly after its release, audiences online lambasted the implementation of AI in the commercial. Several described it as "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".

"This moment represents an key learning as we examine the appropriate use of AI," stated a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.

The advert was produced for the brand by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of situations that might go awry over the festive season, with the tagline "the most terrible time of the year".

The Trend of AI-Generated Ads

Adverts that incorporate AI tools have emerged as a increasing trend among major companies, particularly for the Christmas campaign season.

• Coca-Cola has also released back-to-back AI-created holiday commercials.
• Technical Challenges: As videos made using generative AI are prone to distort the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly six to 10 seconds in length.
• Industry Concerns: The video also sparked fears about the replacement of human roles in the creative sector, with some commenters pointing out it might negatively impact work for production staff.

Response from the Production Company

Following the video's removal, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.

According to her, the production process required "over a month and a half" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then shaped during the edit "just as we would on any standard production".

"This wasn't an AI gimmick," Bridge asserted. "The result was a film."

Divisive Public Reception

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

For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday spot from another major brand reportedly achieved a 61% "favorable response" from viewers.

However, several companies have likewise faced scrutiny for using AI in advertising. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that some described as "lazy" and "disturbing".

The episode illustrates the continuing discussion within the advertising and creative industries about the trade-off between new tools and human craftsmanship.