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

McDonald's has pulled a Christmas commercial made via AI after receiving widespread online backlash.

The 45-second film was produced with the help of generative AI clips and was originally released on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.

Viewer Response and Decision to Pull

Following its publication, commenters criticized the implementation of AI in the commercial. A number of labeled it "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".

"This incident represents an valuable learning as we explore the appropriate use of generative technology," said a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.

The advert was created for the brand by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It depicted various scenarios that can go wrong during the Christmas break, under the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".

A Growing Trend of AI-Generated Ads

Commercials that feature generative AI have emerged as a increasing trend among prominent corporations, particularly for the Christmas campaign season.

• Coca-Cola has similarly released consecutive AI-generated holiday commercials.
• Inherent Limitations: Since segments created with generative AI are more likely to become unstable the longer they run, the majority of such clips tend to be only a few seconds in length.
• Broader Implications: The ad also provoked concerns about job displacement in the creative sector, with some commenters stating it could affect work for production staff.

Response from the Creators

After the commercial being pulled, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.

According to her, the development required "over a month and a half" and involved creating "numerous versions" which were then edited in post-production "in the same way we would on any traditional production".

"This wasn't an AI trick," Bridge asserted. "We consider it a finished piece."

Mixed Public Reception

While the McDonald's commercial was predominantly panned, the response for some AI-assisted campaigns has been varied.

For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a significant "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.

However, other businesses have also encountered backlash for using AI in their campaigns. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that some described as "lazy" and "uncanny".

The episode underscores the ongoing debate within the advertising and creative sectors about the trade-off between new tools and creative integrity.