McDonald's Netherlands Pulls Artificial Intelligence Festive Advertisement Following Backlash.

McDonald's has taken down a Christmas commercial created via generative AI following receiving significant public disapproval.

The brief ad was developed using AI video tools and was first released publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.

Audience Reaction and Removal

Following its publication, commenters denounced the use of AI in the commercial. Many called it "creepy" and "poorly edited".

"This incident represents an important lesson as we examine the proper use of AI," stated a representative from the company.

The advert was developed for the brand by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed various scenarios that might go awry during the festive season, under the slogan "the most terrible time of the year".

A Growing Trend of AI Commercials

Adverts that include generative AI have emerged as a growing trend among major corporations, notably for the holiday season.

• Coca-Cola has also launched back-to-back AI-created holiday ads.
• Inherent Limitations: Because segments made with current AI video tools are prone to become unstable the more extended they are, most such clips tend to be only a few seconds in length.
• Broader Implications: The video also sparked fears about the replacement of human roles in the creative industry, with some observers stating it might reduce work for production staff.

Response from the Production Company

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

She stated, the development required "over a month and a half" and involved generating "thousands of takes" which were then shaped afterward "just as we would on any standard production".

"This wasn't an experiment," she commented. "It was a finished piece."

Divisive Audience Sentiment

While the McDonald's commercial was mostly panned, the response for some AI-assisted campaigns has been more mixed.

For instance, a recent AI-generated Christmas spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis achieved a 61% "positive feedback" from online commenters.

However, other businesses have likewise faced criticism for employing the technique in marketing. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics described as "cheap" and "uncanny".

The episode illustrates the continuing debate within the advertising and creative industries about the balance between new tools and audience reception.