Coca-Cola again uses generative AI to create its Christmas ad -.

In an era when there is a conversation every day about whether generative AI will be good or bad for the world, big companies that refuse to hire real artists because a computer can drum up something “just as good” will understandably cause controversy. Coca-Cola saw that effect in 2024, and this year it has gone all-in on genAI again.

In an ad that features human characters only at the end of Santa Claus, Coca-Cola makes clear its position on AI and how it will remove the human approach from its marketing that once prided itself on humanism. “Last year, people criticized craftsmanship. But this year the craftsmanship is ten times better”, Pratik Thakar, global VP and head of generative AI at Coca-Cola told The Hollywood Reporter. “There will be people who criticize – we can’t keep everyone 100 percent happy. But if the majority of consumers see it in a positive way, it’s worth moving forward.”

“The haters on the Internet are the loudest.” says Jason Zada, founder of the LA-based studio Secret Level that created the ad. “A lot of the people who complained last year were from the creative industry who were just scared – scared of their jobs, scared of what it was doing. But I think the spot tested really well and the average people really enjoyed it.”

“Yes, some parts of the industry were not happy that we used a 100 percent generative AI film, but that’s part of doing something groundbreaking,” Thakar added. “The genie is out of the bottle and you’re not going to put it back in.”

The ad is posted below via DiscussingFilm for you to see. Let us know if you are still thinking about buying a Coke for the World after this one.