McDonald's has announced it has removed its AI-generated Christmas ad in the Netherlands after receiving criticism online.
The ad, titled “The Scariest Time of the Year”, depicts scenes of Christmas chaos, including Santa stuck in traffic and a Dutch bicycle rider laden with presents slipping on snow. And what's the message? Get through the Christmas season by heading to a McDonald's restaurant until January.
But the AI-generated ad by the Big Mac maker's Dutch arm sparked a storm of criticism on social media.
One user said: “This commercial ruined my Christmas spirit.” “Getting rid of the AI slop is good,” another posted.
McDonald's in the Netherlands said in a statement Wednesday: “The Christmas commercial aimed to show stressful moments during the Dutch holidays.
“However, based on social commentary and international media coverage, we are aware that for many of our guests, this time of year is the most wonderful time of the year.”
Melanie Bridge, CEO of Sweet Shop Films, which created the ad, defended the company's use of AI in a post on LinkedIn.
“It never replaces the craft. It's about expanding the toolbox. Vision, flair, leadership… it's always human,” she said.
“And here's what people don't see: The time spent on this job was way beyond a traditional shoot. It took 10 people full-time and five weeks.”
However, it also sparked debate online.
Emlyn Davies of independent production company Bomper Studios responded to the LinkedIn post:
“Ten people participating in a project like this is a fraction of what a traditional live-action shoot would entail.”
Coca-Cola recently unveiled its own AI-generated holiday ad, despite receiving backlash when it ran a similar ad last year.
The company's new product eschews close-ups of humans and primarily features images of cute AI-generated animals in winter environments.
