Coca-Cola’s AI-Generated Christmas Ad Sparks Outrage
Coca-Cola’s latest Christmas advertisement has sparked a wave of backlash across social media, with many critics condemning the use of artificial intelligence in its creation.
The ad, which features iconic elements like red Coca-Cola trucks driving through snow-covered streets and people bundled up in scarves holding bottles of Coke, was intended to invoke nostalgia for the company’s famous 1995 “Holidays Are Coming” commercial.
However, viewers were quick to point out the soulless, mechanical quality of the video, accusing the brand of relying on technology over human creativity.
AI Behind the Festive Campaign
The video was the product of a collaboration between three AI studios — Secret Level, Silverside AI, and Wild Card — who used generative AI models like Leonardo, Luma, and Runway, with the Kling model coming into play later in the process.
The goal was to replicate the magic of the 90s Christmas ad, yet it quickly drew criticism for being a poor imitation rather than an inspired tribute.
The video, which rapidly gained attention, has been viewed over 57.7 million times but has failed to win over audiences, especially those in the creative industry.
A Growing Frustration with AI in Advertising
Critics, particularly artists and creative professionals, were quick to voice their disapproval.
They argue that the use of AI in advertising represents a shift away from human creativity, potentially replacing jobs in the arts.
Alex Hirsch, creator of the popular Disney series Gravity Falls, responded to the X post with the video,
“FUN FACT: @CocaCola is ‘red’ because it’s made from the blood of out-of-work artists! #HolidayFactz.”
Many shared similar sentiments, expressing frustration at how AI models, trained on the works of real artists, generate content without crediting or compensating those creators.
Megan Cruz of The Broad Perspective Pod who reposted the video, commented:
“This is always what [AI] was going to be used for btw. It’s not some great equalizer. It’s a way for already massively wealthy execs to add a few more mil to their annual bonuses by cutting creative teams entirely & having a machine vomit up the most boring slop imaginable instead.”
Generative AI’s Limitations Exposed
Despite the hype surrounding AI, the ad exposes the inherent flaws of current generative video technology.
Producing realistic human figures remains one of the biggest challenges for AI, and the Coca-Cola ad is no exception.
The humans depicted in the commercial are poorly rendered, their facial expressions and movements unnervingly unnatural.
In fact, the Santa Claus character never fully appears; only a rubbery hand holding a Coke bottle is shown.
A Coca-Cola spokesperson attempted to defend the project, stating:
"The Coca-Cola Company has celebrated a long history of capturing the magic of the holidays in content, film, events and retail activations for decades around the globe. We are always exploring new ways to connect with consumers and experiment with different approaches. This year, we crafted films through a collaboration of human storytellers and the power of generative AI. Coca-Cola will always remain dedicated to creating the highest level of work at the intersection of human creativity and technology."
However, the execution left much to be desired.
Behind the Scenes: AI Studios’ Role
Each of the AI studios involved created a different version of the ad.
While Silverside AI’s AI Developer Chris Barber clarified on social media that the most talked-about version didn’t come from their team, the others weren’t much better.
Jason Zada, founder of Secret Level, discussed the AI process in an interview with Ad Age, acknowledging that while Kling helped make human movement more realistic, the final product still fell short of expectations.
Unrealistic Details and Eerie Aesthetics
The flaws in the ad were impossible to ignore.
Apart from the distorted human figures, the trucks appear to glide across the ground without moving their wheels, and the proportions of the bystanders are exaggerated to the point that they seem unable to fit through the doors of the trucks.
The background contains surreal shapes and patterns, which viewers quickly pointed out.
The hurried pacing of the ad, along with the fleeting presence of human characters, suggests the creators were trying to avoid triggering the uncanny valley — the discomfort viewers feel when something looks almost human but not quite right.
Notably, many of the shots in the ad appear to be digitally enhanced, as generative AI has difficulty producing video that contains clear and coherent text.
Despite this limitation, Coca-Cola logos are strategically placed throughout the footage.
These shots are the result of numerous attempts, with much of the generated material deemed unusable and discarded.
Zada explained that even something as simple as the opening shot featuring an AI-generated squirrel posed a significant challenge:
“We must have run that squirrel [through AI] in the beginning of that video a couple hundred times,”
Coca-Cola’s AI Experimentation Is Not New
This is not Coca-Cola's first foray into AI-generated content.
Back in March 2023, the company partnered with OpenAI to produce a commercial titled “Masterpiece”, which featured AI-generated art coming to life in a museum setting.
Coca-Cola has also announced collaborations with artists to use AI in their creative projects.
The company has even appointed a global head of generative AI, suggesting that AI will play a more significant role in its marketing strategies moving forward.
This Christmas ad has sparked a wider debate about the role of AI in creative industries and whether it’s devaluing human talent.
As reactions flood in across social media, it’s becoming clear that the public is losing patience with AI-generated content in advertising.
Despite technological progress, it seems the human touch remains essential for storytelling that truly connects.
Brian
Kikyo
Alex
Joy