The holidays are coming, but Coca-Cola’s Christmas campaign has sparked more debate than cheer.
The brand unveiled a fully AI-generated remake of its iconic 1995 "Holidays Are Coming" Christmas truck commercial, aiming to modernize the classic with a technological twist.
While the updated spot retains the wintery roads, glowing red trucks, and familiar soundtrack, it ventures into new territory with Coca-Cola Zero Sugar taking center stage and a more diverse cast representing the brand’s refreshed image.
According to Chris Barber of Silverside AI, the soda giant commissioned different AI companies to create three versions of its globally renowned commercial.
The company I work for, Silverside AI, just created an ad for @CocaCola (yes THE Coca-Cola)!! We were asked to bring the classic Coca Cola Holidays are Coming ad back through the use of AI. Check it out: pic.twitter.com/A1esNvqozW
— Chris Barber (@code_rgb) November 15, 2024
The decision to use AI wasn’t part of the original plan, according to Coca-Cola European CMO Javier Meza.
"We didn’t start by saying, ‘OK, we need to do this with AI.’ The brief was, we want to bring Holidays Are Coming into the present, and then we explored AI as a solution to that."
The AI approach, he noted, was chosen for its speed and cost-effectiveness.
However, the campaign hasn’t landed smoothly with everyone.
Coca Cola using ai for an ad is genuinely so terrifying to me. Art is dying.
— KJ VA 🎙️🏳️🌈 (@KJBurbankVA) November 17, 2024
Actors, replaced. Camera workers, replaced. Drivers, replaced. Designers, replaced. Soulless.
This is affecting EVERYONE now. Whether you want to accept that or not. Its going too far pic.twitter.com/0ANfrSqZU6
Viewers across social media and comment sections have criticized the AI-generated people in the ad, describing them as teetering on the edge of realism — “almost human, but not quite.”
Alex Hirsch, the creator and director of Disney’s animated series "Gravity Falls," also had his own opinion about the revamped spot, criticizing the brand's choice to use AI over human creatives.
The X post has since been viewed nearly 60 million times, with Hirsch's comment garnering over 58,000 likes, 6,500 reposts, and 623,000 views.
FUN FACT: @CocaCola is “red” because it’s made from the blood of out-of-work artists! #HolidayFactz
— Alex Hirsch (@_AlexHirsch) November 16, 2024
Coca-Cola’s use of AI aligns with its broader strategy of embracing generative technology, but this time, it failed to impress viewers with its decision to reimagine a classic commercial without the human touch.
Generative AI artists like Barber pointed out that the technology can't be used without human creativity.
"I do think there is room for AI in creativity when these tools are used in conjunction with human vision and emotion," he wrote in a comment on his X post.
Whatever the case, Coca-Cola's AI-generated Christmas ad has ignited something akin to the Toys 'R' Us backlash all over again.
The Holidays Are Here
The spot opens with the familiar "Holidays Are Coming" soundtrack, and the audience is immediately transported to a view of polar bears and snowy, wintery roads.
Iconic Coca-Cola trucks start rolling down the road, sparkling with holiday lights.
A man, presumed to be Santa Claus, hands over an ice-cold bottle of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar to a passerby. The ad then cuts to a diverse mix of people enjoying their holiday moments.
As the trucks drive off, the commercial ends with a shot of the Christmas tree in the middle of town, with the Coca-Cola logo and the words "Real Magic" onscreen.
Of course, Coca-Cola isn’t abandoning its festive heritage.
Alongside the AI-generated spot, last year’s "The World Needs More Santas" will also air this season to continue the brand’s holiday tradition.
Coca-Cola isn't the only brand exploring the creative use of generative AI.
Previously, Red Lobster, a casual dining restaurant chain, released 30 music tracks that were all created with artificial intelligence.
