While the use of artificial intelligence is rapidly increasing in the technology world, some experiments by major brands in this area can yield unexpected results. The latest and most striking example comes from McDonald’s. The fast-food giant released a Christmas-themed commercial created entirely using AI tools. However, the commercial was met with such intense criticism from viewers that the brand was forced to remove the video from its original YouTube channel and other platforms shortly after its release.
The Behind-the-Scenes Story of McDonald’s AI Commercial Hated by Viewers
The commercial was produced for the Dutch market by the agency TBWA\NEBOKO, while the production process was managed by The Sweetshop studio. Following the backlash, the production company attempted to defend itself by releasing a statement, which it later deleted. The company stated that the video involved seven weeks of sleepless work, a highly complex technical process involving Google Earth imagery, custom LoRA models, ComfyUI graphics, and thousands of iterations. The producers emphasized that this was not a simple AI trick, but an effort to create a cinematic film.
Despite all these technical defenses, viewers were far from satisfied with the final product. The music used in the advertisement was described as a “grumpy” and discordant parody of a classic Christmas carol, created using artificial intelligence. Visually, the scenes were unfamiliar and lacked a sense of realism, such as people singing in the wind or fighting over a generic teddy bear. AI-generated visual errors, such as a Christmas tree turning downwards like a parking garage door or the uncertainty of whether the location was indoors or outdoors, drew criticism.
Another reason for the advertisement’s failure was its tone. The video’s “life sucks” themed humor was described as being stuck in the 90s and failing to connect with today’s audience. Critics noted that the emotion and warmth conveyed by real human actors could not be replicated by the AI, leaving the video with a disturbing feeling. In conclusion, the claim of technology meeting human labor was perceived by viewers as nothing more than a bad advertisement.
What are your thoughts on this? How successful can the use of artificial intelligence in creative industries be in reflecting human emotion?
