Bagel Shop Removes AI-Generated Ad Images After Customer Backlash

A bagel shop faced uproar from customers after posting ads that mixed real photos with AI-generated images, prompting the small business to apologize and remove the posts.

According to a report by WCAX-TV Channel 3 News, Myer’s Bagels is a well-known local business in Burlington, Vermont, where customers regularly line up for its Montreal-style bagels.

Adam Jones, who runs Myer’s Bagels, says he had recently started using AI tools to help analyze which products were selling well and which were not. He says the technology has helped the business as it tries to remain competitive. As a small business without a full-time marketing team, Jones says he used the same AI company to help create promotional content for social media. The posts included a mix of real photographs and AI-generated images.

“You know, because the images were, they were a hybrid of things that were real at Myer’s, but then they spiced them up,” Jones tells WCAX-TV Channel 3 News.

However, customers quickly reacted to the posts on social media and Reddit, with individuals criticizing the use of AI-generated images in ads. The response reflected wider concerns among some consumers about the growing use of AI in marketing and online content.

Myer’s Bagels later removed the images and issued an apology, saying the intention had been to promote a small business in a competitive social media environment rather than upset loyal customers.

“I thought, well, we’ll see how this works. And overall, it didn’t work,” Jones tells WCAX-TV Channel 3 News.

He adds: “I gotta say, I was kind of saddened by it, because my intent was not to offend the passion and appreciation that we get already. It was just to highlight a new way to look at us.”

Jones says he understands why people may react strongly to AI-generated posts, but added that small businesses often do not have dedicated social media teams and face pressure to constantly produce online content. He says that AI technology is likely to remain part of the business operations of Myer’s Bagels in the future.

“AI as a whole, I think, is a very valuable tool as a business owner,” Jones explains. “Social media side — which brought this to light — is something I will use, but in a much more well-managed way from my end. ”

AI is increasingly being used in ad images, with this case revealing how even small businesses are turning to it to quickly produce marketing content without dedicated design or social media teams. McDonald’s faced significant backlash last year when it released an AI-generated Christmas ad featuring morphed faces and distorted bodies. The 45-second ad, made by McDonald’s Netherlands, was later pulled. Coca-Cola also faced criticism last year after releasing an AI-generated Christmas ad last year.