Coca-Cola’s latest attempt to merge technology with tradition has not gone as planned. The company has once again used generative AI to create its new “Holidays Are Coming” Christmas campaign — but instead of inspiring nostalgia, it has drawn criticism for being visually unappealing and lacking the warmth that made its classic holiday ads iconic.
After facing backlash last year for airing three AI-generated commercials that featured strange human faces and awkward animation, Coca-Cola has doubled down on its use of artificial intelligence. This year’s ad replaces people with animated animals, including polar bears, a panda, and a sloth. However, viewers have noted that the animation looks inconsistent, switching between semi-realistic and cartoonish styles, with characters moving stiffly as if made from flat, cut-out images.
While the new ad fixes one issue from last year — the Coke trucks’ wheels now turn correctly instead of gliding unrealistically over the snow — the overall production quality remains underwhelming. Critics say the video feels outdated, especially when compared to the more sophisticated visuals created by AI tools such as OpenAI’s Sora 2 and Google’s Veo 3.
According to reports, Coca-Cola partnered with AI studios Silverside and Secret Level, both of which previously worked on the company’s 2024 AI holiday ads. The Wall Street Journal reported that around 100 people were involved in this year’s campaign, including five AI specialists who helped generate and refine over 70,000 AI-produced video clips. Coca-Cola declined to comment on the total cost of the campaign.
Coca-Cola’s Chief Marketing Officer, Manolo Arroyo, defended the use of AI, explaining that the approach significantly reduced production time and costs. “Before, when we were doing the shooting and all the standard processes for a project, we would start a year in advance,” Arroyo said. “Now, you can get it done in around a month.”
The ad’s release comes at a time when the advertising industry is increasingly experimenting with AI-generated content. However, it also raises growing concerns about the impact of automation on creative jobs and the decline of handcrafted artistry in commercial storytelling.
Despite the negative feedback, Coca-Cola continues to embrace AI-driven production, suggesting that the company sees the technology as a faster, more efficient way to produce large-scale marketing campaigns — even if it means sacrificing some of the emotional magic that once defined its holiday brand.
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