Coca-Cola’s AI-generated ads receive criticism for not using human artists
Coca-Cola is the latest company to release AI-generated ads, but they’re currently receiving some backlash for them online.
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Coca-Cola has released a series of new holiday ads. Two of them were created with generative AI and have sparked debate on social media.
The two ads, powered by artificial intelligence, were released on Monday, November 3 and are a reimagining of Coca-Cola’s classic 1995 spot, “The Holidays are Coming,” the company said.
The new AI ads come after the company was criticized for using AI in its holiday ads last season.
Watch Coca-Cola ads using AI
One ad, titled “The Holidays Are Coming,” depicts a Coca-Cola bus driving through cities around the world as animals such as polar bears, pandas, seals, birds and puppies react. Check it out below.
The second ad, titled “Holidays Are Coming, Fantastical,” which the company announced will air exclusively in the U.S., depicts AI-generated creatures including meerkats, rabbits, koalas and raccoons admiring a Coca-Cola truck. At the end of the ad, the AI Santa Claus can be seen waving with a bottle of soft drink in his right hand as the animals wave and cheer. Check it out below.
Coca-Cola supports the use of AI: ‘Human creativity remains at the core’
“Coca-Cola’s 2025 Holiday Campaign celebrates behind-the-scenes donors with heartwarming films and innovative AI-powered storytelling that inspires authentic connection and celebratory joy,” the company said.
“The brand’s use of AI technology powers creative storytelling, keeping human creativity at the core.”
Coca-Cola partnered with San Francisco-based studios Secret Level and Silverside AI to create the video.
“Human creativity remains at the core of Coca-Cola advertising,” the company added in a statement, noting that the music used in the film was performed and sung by real artists.
Coca-Cola will begin experimenting with AI advertising in 2023
Last year, the company released its first generative AI Christmas ad, also with the theme “The Holidays Are Coming.” Both ads are similar, but the 2024 ad features more people than animals. In 2023, the company collaborated with the Real Magic AI platform to release “Coca-Cola Masterpiece” and began experimenting with AI advertising.
The previous Christmas ad was widely criticized. “Last year, people criticized the craftsmanship. But this year, the craftsmanship is 10 times better,” Pratik Thakar, the company’s global vice president and head of generative AI, said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
Social media responds to Coca-Cola AI ads
Social media users poked fun at the use of emerging technology in advertising.
One user wrote, “You may be wondering why this year’s AI Slop Coca-Cola commercial focused on animal characters…it’s because their Santa Claus looks like a nightmare from the uncanny valley.”
Another user suggested that people will continue to talk about AI on social media because its use may be part of a company’s marketing strategy.
“The unfortunate genius of generative AI and commercials (like Coca-Cola) is that they cause so much outrage that they get re-shared and go viral. Notoriety is part of the strategy.”
Social media users also commented on what they thought were glitches in the ad.
“The wheels didn’t turn to the right. The faces lined up. That warmth that everyone remembered from the original version was completely gone,” one person wrote.
But it seems not everyone hates the ad.
One user wrote, “I saw this commercial – it’s absolutely amazing. It’s definitely one of the best I’ve seen in a while. It reminded me of the iconic 1994 Coca-Cola ad, but reimagined for 2025 using AI.”
Companies experimenting with AI advertising
Coca-Cola isn’t the first company to try using AI to create ads. In 2023, Toys R Us released a unique advertisement using artificial intelligence. The ad features the company’s founder, Charles Lazarus, as a young boy. The ad received criticism because the boy’s character appeared differently in some shots.
However, Nike released an AI ad in 2022 that paid homage to tennis player Serena Williams. The project, titled “Never Done Evolving,” used archival footage of Williams and artificial intelligence. After its release, it won several awards.
Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Please contact mdelrey@usatoday.com.
