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McDonald\u2019s has removed a Christmas advertisement generated with artificial intelligence after receiving criticism online.<\/p>\n
The 45-second ad was published on Dec. 6 on the McDonald\u2019s Netherlands YouTube channel and featured generative AI clips. Viewers on social media denounced the video, with one commenter calling it \u201cthe most god-awful ad I\u2019ve seen this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Dec. 9, McDonald\u2019s Netherlands made the video private. In a statement to BBC News, the company said the experience was \u201can important learning\u201d as it continues exploring \u201cthe effective use of AI.\u201d<\/p>\n
The commercial was created by Dutch agency TBWA\\Neboko and U.S. production company The Sweetshop. Generative AI has become a growing advertising trend among major brands, including Coca-Cola, especially during the holiday season.<\/p>\n
The McDonald\u2019s ad depicted mishaps during the Christmas break, using the slogan \u201cthe most terrible time of the year,\u201d before suggesting that the holiday would be better spent in the company of the fast-food chain.<\/p>\n
Viewers criticized the video\u2019s uncanny imagery and the number of stitched-together clips, calling it \u201ccreepy\u201d and \u201cpoorly edited.\u201d Because AI-generated clips tend to distort when run for long periods, most are kept between six and 10 seconds, meaning the 45-second commercial likely required many segments edited together.<\/p>\n
The video also sparked concerns about industry job losses. One Instagram commenter wrote: \u201cNo actors, no camera team \u2026 welcome to the future of filmmaking. And it sucks.\u201d<\/p>\n
After the video was removed, Sweetshop CEO Melanie Bridge defended the production. She said in comments published by Futurism that the project took seven weeks, during which the team \u201chardly slept\u201d and created \u201cthousands of takes\u201d before editing them into a final product.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis wasn\u2019t an AI trick,\u201d she said. \u201cIt was a film.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a statement to BBC News, McDonald\u2019s Netherlands said the ad was intended to \u201creflect the stressful moments that can occur during the holidays,\u201d but the company chose to remove it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis moment serves as an important learning as we explore the effective use of AI,\u201d the company said.<\/p>\n
Brands are increasingly turning to firms that use AI to produce video content on shorter timelines, compared with traditional high-profile Christmas campaigns that can take up to a year to complete.<\/p>\n
Coca-Cola has released AI-generated holiday ads for two consecutive years and has reported strong audience reception. However, several other brands, including Italian fashion house Valentino, have faced criticism for using AI in their campaigns, with detractors labeling the approach \u201ccheap\u201d and \u201clazy.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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