McDonald's Netherlands Takes Down AI-Created Holiday Commercial In the Wake of Backlash.

McDonald's has taken down a Christmas advert made using Artificial Intelligence after receiving significant online backlash.

The 45-second ad was created using AI-generated video and was first published on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.

Viewer Reaction and Removal

Soon after it aired, audiences online denounced the use of AI in the advert. A number of called it "disturbing" and "jarringly assembled".

"This moment represents an important learning as we examine the effective use of generative technology," said a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.

The commercial was produced for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed a series of situations that often go badly during the Christmas break, using the slogan "the worst time of the year".

A Growing Trend of AI in Advertising

Commercials that include AI tools have become a rising trend among prominent companies, notably for the holiday campaign season.

• Coca-Cola has similarly released consecutive AI-created holiday ads.
• Inherent Limitations: Because videos created using generative AI are prone to distort the more extended they are, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be only short in length.
• Industry Concerns: The video also raised worries about automation in the production sector, with some commenters noting it might reduce opportunities for production staff.

Response from the Production Company

After the ad being taken down, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.

Bridge claimed, the creation took "over a month and a half" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then crafted during the edit "just as we would on any standard production".

"This wasn't an experiment," she said. "We consider it a finished piece."

Mixed Public Reception

While the McDonald's ad was mostly criticized, the sentiment for other AI-assisted campaigns has been more mixed.

For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a significant "favorable response" from viewers.

However, several companies have also encountered backlash for employing the technique in their campaigns. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics called "cheap" and "disturbing".

The episode underscores the continuing debate within the advertising and production industries about the trade-off between technological innovation and audience reception.