🔗 Share this article The Fast-Food Giant Takes Down Artificial Intelligence Festive Advertisement After Online Criticism. A artificially generated image from the now-removed fast-food commercial. The global fast-food chain has pulled a holiday advertisement created via generative AI after facing widespread public disapproval. The 45-second film was developed with the help of AI video tools and was originally uploaded online for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December. Viewer Reaction and Removal Following its publication, commenters lambasted the use of AI in the film. Many labeled it "disturbing" and "jarringly assembled". "This experience serves as an key learning as we investigate the appropriate utilization of generative technology," stated a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands. The commercial was created for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of scenarios that can go wrong during the Christmas break, under the theme "the worst time of the year". A Growing Phenomenon of AI in Advertising Adverts that incorporate generative AI have emerged as a growing phenomenon among prominent brands, notably for the holiday season. Coca-Cola has also launched consecutive AI-created holiday ads. Technical Challenges: Because segments created using current AI video tools are more likely to distort the more extended they are, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly short in length. Broader Implications: The ad also sparked concerns about job displacement in the creative industry, with some critics stating it could affect opportunities for camera crews. Response from the Creators Following the ad being taken down, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project. According to her, the development took "seven weeks" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then shaped during the edit "in the same way we would on any high-craft production". "This was not an AI trick," she commented. "We consider it a proper commercial." Mixed Public Reception While the McDonald's ad was predominantly criticized, the reception for some AI-assisted holiday ads has been more mixed. For instance, a recent AI-created holiday spot from another major brand reportedly achieved a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters. However, other businesses have also encountered backlash for employing the technique in advertising. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that some called "low-effort" and "uncanny". The episode underscores the ongoing conversation within the marketing and production industries about the balance between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.
A artificially generated image from the now-removed fast-food commercial. The global fast-food chain has pulled a holiday advertisement created via generative AI after facing widespread public disapproval. The 45-second film was developed with the help of AI video tools and was originally uploaded online for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December. Viewer Reaction and Removal Following its publication, commenters lambasted the use of AI in the film. Many labeled it "disturbing" and "jarringly assembled". "This experience serves as an key learning as we investigate the appropriate utilization of generative technology," stated a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands. The commercial was created for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of scenarios that can go wrong during the Christmas break, under the theme "the worst time of the year". A Growing Phenomenon of AI in Advertising Adverts that incorporate generative AI have emerged as a growing phenomenon among prominent brands, notably for the holiday season. Coca-Cola has also launched consecutive AI-created holiday ads. Technical Challenges: Because segments created using current AI video tools are more likely to distort the more extended they are, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly short in length. Broader Implications: The ad also sparked concerns about job displacement in the creative industry, with some critics stating it could affect opportunities for camera crews. Response from the Creators Following the ad being taken down, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the project. According to her, the development took "seven weeks" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then shaped during the edit "in the same way we would on any high-craft production". "This was not an AI trick," she commented. "We consider it a proper commercial." Mixed Public Reception While the McDonald's ad was predominantly criticized, the reception for some AI-assisted holiday ads has been more mixed. For instance, a recent AI-created holiday spot from another major brand reportedly achieved a 61% "positive sentiment rating" from online commenters. However, other businesses have also encountered backlash for employing the technique in advertising. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for ads that some called "low-effort" and "uncanny". The episode underscores the ongoing conversation within the marketing and production industries about the balance between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.