Coca-Cola's AI Christmas Ad: A Festive Fumble?
Coca-Cola
AI
Advertising
Generative AI
Marketing
Technology
Commercials
7
Creative Compromise
Media Hype
6/10
Real Impact
7/10
What is the Viqus Verdict?
We evaluate each news story based on its real impact versus its media hype to offer a clear and objective perspective.
AI Analysis:
The hype around AI in creative applications is high, but this case demonstrates that current AI tools still struggle to consistently deliver high-quality artistic output, representing a realistic, though ultimately disappointing, outcome for a major brand.
Article Summary
Coca-Cola’s newest Christmas campaign, dubbed ‘Holidays Are Coming,’ is generating a considerable amount of negative feedback, largely due to its visually inconsistent and somewhat unsettling use of generative AI. The commercial features a chaotic assortment of animated animals— bunnies, polar bears, pandas, and sloths— rendered in a style that frequently shifts between uncanny realism and a simplistic, bug-eyed cartoon look. Unlike the more convincing deepfakes produced by companies like OpenAI and Google, this campaign’s visuals feel dated and unpolished, leading critics to describe them as ‘sloppy’ and ‘unrigged.’ While the wheels on the iconic Coke trucks are consistently turning this year, a significant improvement, the overall aesthetic remains a problem. The campaign's production, involving around 100 people including five AI specialists, was reportedly cheaper and faster than traditional production methods, a key driver for Coca-Cola’s embrace of AI. However, this decision adds to growing concerns about the potential displacement of creative professionals as AI tools rapidly advance.Key Points
- Coca-Cola is doubling down on generative AI for its holiday campaigns, despite previous criticisms.
- The new campaign features visually inconsistent and unpolished AI-generated imagery.
- The production is cheaper and faster than traditional methods, reflecting a strategic shift by Coca-Cola.