# The Coca Cola AI Christmas Ad <span style="font-size: 13px;"> <span style="color: var(--tx2);">Planted:</span> <span style="color: var(--tx1);">11 November 2025</span><br> <span style="color: var(--tx2);">Last tended:</span> <span style="color: var(--tx1);">11 November 2025</span> </span> In 2024, Coca Cola created its first Christmas ad using generative AI, which as one might guess (I dare to assume), lead to massive backlash that season. As I learned through [the latest video of SamDoesArts](https://youtu.be/oZGYU0CcfbY?si=kZv9TWrg2XGdDMDD) (highly recommend his channel), Coca Cola actually published another AI ad for this year's season. And naturally it lead, again, to negative reactions. <div style="position: relative; width: 100%; padding-top: 56.25%; overflow: hidden;"> <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Yy6fByUmPuE?si=38qXSETRM67WQccF" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;"> </iframe> </div> [[Digital Maintenance, Detox, and a Rant on the State of Our (Digital) World#^37066d|To me, it is really absurd how a company of the size of Coca Cola, decided that this is the way to move forward.]] Not even based on the backlash it perceived last year, but generally, from a PR point of view; although there are theories of Coca Cola basically intentionally rage bating its audience with these ads for more interaction and reach. But reading Coca Cola's global VP and head of generative AI *Pratik Thakar's* statements on the brand's use of AI, in an interview with *The Hollywood Reporter* ^[https://www.prweek.com/article/1938834/coca-cola-reignites-ai-ad-debate-new-holiday-campaign], it looks like there is a true belief of this being the future, with some... interesting takes: > *» Yes, some parts of the industry were not pleased we were using a 100% generative AI film, but that's part and parcel of doing something pioneering. «* <iframe src="https://giphy.com/embed/ylyUQkGsUNoJLlVOyk" width="100%" height="322" style="" frameBorder="0" class="giphy-embed" allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/shocked-big-sean-cell-phone-ylyUQkGsUNoJLlVOyk"></a></p> > *» AI is a tool that blends human ingenuity and innovation to help us explore new possibilities and push the boundaries of storytelling. «* <iframe src="https://giphy.com/embed/BP3odQdasM6Qg" width="100%" height="269" style="" frameBorder="0" class="giphy-embed" allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/fire-cell-phone-samsung-BP3odQdasM6Qg"></a></p> > *» We understand that concern. But we need to keep moving forward and pushing the envelope. The genie is out of the bottle, and you’re not going to put it back in. «* <iframe src="https://giphy.com/embed/5ic7VbW61RLgOZ1LSh" width="100%" height="221" style="" frameBorder="0" class="giphy-embed" allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/cuco-hydrocodone-5ic7VbW61RLgOZ1LSh"></a></p> The internet's reaction to these comments and the AI campaign is mostly negative. Many point out the moral and ethical implications of the use of generative AI, ranging from the death of human creativity, loss of jobs in the creative industry and also environmental factors. In regards to one of Thakar's comments about *"pushing the boundaries of storytelling"*, I also thought this to be an interesting perspective of a commenter, below the ad's YouTube video: > *» The sad thing is that even the plot of the commercial was limited by Al. It's obvious they started with "What's the easiest way to hide the limitations of the tech?" Instead of "what would make a memorable Christmas commercial?" And were forced to constantly change animals and locations because if they stuck with the iconic polar bears, there's no way the design model would stay anywhere close enough to keep even the general public from picking up on it. This is how creativity dies.* > > *We're in the darkest timeline, aren't we? «* There are also countless of comments in favor of *Pepsi*. As Sam further covers in his video, I think it's genuinely surreal seeing the scope of AI's usage by now. Especially in advertising it feels like the most counterintuitive approach. I didn't know of this, but apparently some restaurants and coffee places are using AI generated images of their offering, rather than actual product photos. Sam shares some reactions to a reel showing this, with one of the comments being exactly what I thought when I heard of this: > *» Using AI defeats the purpose of displaying your product. Why would I trust something you can't even photograph? «* What's really interesting in comparison, is how some of the biggest AI developers, including Anthropic (Claude) and OpenAI (ChatGPT), actually aren't using their AI models for the creation (or rather, generation) of some of their own ad campaigns. Anthropic actually made use of traditional techniques for the launch of one of their campaigns, and OpenAI's first ChatGPT ad campaign was actually shot on 35mm film. ^[https://www.creativebloq.com/design/advertising/devastating-graphic-shows-just-how-bad-the-coca-cola-christmas-ad-really-is] Something that leaves me with a bit of hope, is how the vast majority of people, at least this is my perception, is clearly against this use of generative AI and expresses a strong aversion to these campaigns; there actually seems to be a growing desire to move back to more authenticity and 'soul'.