Coca-Cola’s AI-Generated Christmas Commercial Faces Mixed Reactions

Coca-Cola, under the Berkshire Hathaway umbrella, recently highlighted its use of fewer personnel in crafting an AI-driven Christmas advertisement.

Similar to the AI-generated ad from last year, this new spot, produced by the Los Angeles-based studio Secret Level, pays tribute to the iconic “The Holidays are Coming” campaign from 1995. In it, AI-simulated animals gather to celebrate as the renowned Coca-Cola truck rolls through a city. The commercial concludes with an image of an AI-rendered Santa Claus smiling and waving.

As for the public’s response, social media users largely reacted negatively, labeling the ad as a “soulless AI failure.” One YouTube comment expressed disappointment: “Disgusting. Makes me miss when people actually put effort into these things instead of just making crappy stuff to save money.”

Another comment echoed similar sentiments, stating, “Sounds like garbage as always. A pathetic look at the once undisputed king of advertising. What a joke.” However, not all feedback was negative; some users defended the AI approach. One remarked, “I don’t know when we’ll start accepting that AI does our job better than us, so it can replace us.”

In discussions on X, critics pointed out the ad’s attempt at realism, which seemed inconsistent with the Coke truck and various backgrounds.

Executives at Coca-Cola shared insights about the advertisement, revealing that even fewer personnel were involved this year compared to last, which they believe could allow for budget reallocations. “Last year, people criticized the craftsmanship. But this year, it’s improved significantly,” stated Pratik Thakar, Coca-Cola’s global vice president and head of generative AI. “There will always be detractors. You can’t please everyone, but if most consumers view it positively, it’s worth pursuing.”

Jason Zada, founder and chief creative officer of Secret Level, mentioned that the backlash seems to come primarily from online users and especially from the artistic community. He suggested that many critics from creative fields are looking out for their careers and worried about the impact of AI. “But I think this spot test went really well, and the average person enjoyed it,” he added.