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Normally, a brand would be thrilled if its new holiday commercial went viral, but a new McDonald’s Netherlands ad has gone viral for all the wrong reasons.<\/p>\n
Originally posted to YouTube on Dec. 6, the holiday commercial was clearly made using generative AI, and it also features a label disclosing it as “AI-generated.” The commercial’s theme is “The most terrible time of the year,” and it features a montage of short clips depicting holiday traditions descending into chaos. The clips bear the hallmarks of generative AI video \u2014 generic-looking actors, exaggerated movements, strange inconsistencies, and a flat, artless aesthetic.<\/p>\n
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\n <\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\nAfter the video gained mainstream attention, the backlash from AI haters was overwhelming. While the “most terrible time of the year” theme may have been intended as tongue-in-cheek, many viewers found the idea cynical. By Dec. 9, McDonald’s Netherlands pulled the holiday commercial, or advert.<\/p>\n
McDonald’s provided Mashable with the following statement from McDonald’s Netherlands:<\/p>\n
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“McDonald\u2019s Netherlands has decided to remove our AI-generated Christmas advert. It was intended to reflect the stressful moments that can occur during the holidays in the Netherlands, but we recognize that for many of our guests, the season is ‘the most wonderful time of the year’. We respect that and remain committed to creating experiences that offer Good Times and Good Food for everyone.”<\/p>\n
Recently, Coca-Cola published its own AI-generated holiday commercial<\/a>, made in partnership with the AI studio Secret Level. Though Coca-Cola also faced backlash for its ad, the company has continued playing the ad throughout the holiday season, undeterred by critics.<\/p>\n
The BBC reports<\/a> that the McDonald’s Netherlands commercial was made by the Dutch company TBWA\\Neboko and the U.S. company The Sweetshop. Speaking to Futurism<\/a>, the CEO of Sweetshop emphasized that a lot of human labor went into the final product.<\/p>\n
“We generated what felt like dailies \u2014 thousands of takes \u2014 then shaped them in the edit just as we would on any high-craft production,\u201d the CEO reportedly said. “This wasn\u2019t an AI trick. It was a film.”<\/p>\n
But for AI critics, any amount of AI in filmmaking<\/a> or advertising<\/a> is unacceptable, full stop. Likewise, writers and actors’ unions<\/a> have fought against expanding the use of generative AI. Even so, Hollywood and Madison Avenue leaders appear eager to adopt the new technology.<\/p>\n
\n \n\n Topics<\/span>
\n Viral Videos<\/a>
\n Advertising<\/a>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div>\n