Coca-Cola has released another AI-generated Christmas ad this year, titled "Holidays Are Coming." However, the result is once again disappointing. Following last year's AI ad, which was criticized for its unnatural faces and slippery wheels, this year's ad, which featured animal characters instead of humans, is receiving widespread criticism for its lack of polish.
The ad features polar bears, pandas, and sloths, but their styles are mixed up from shot to shot. One shot appears realistic, the next cartoonishly exaggerated, and the animals' movements are as stilted and paper-thin as a paper truck. The truck's wheels constantly change angle and length as it drives across the snow, and Santa Claus's fingers are even caught flexing abnormally mid-frame. This highlights the fact that AI-generated images still struggle to properly embody the laws of physics and express emotions.
This ad was co-produced by San Francisco-based AI studio Secret Level and Silverside. Coca-Cola stated that a total of 100 people worked on the project, with five AI experts generating over 70,000 video clips in a month to create the final version. While the company boasted of completing a campaign in a short period of time, which would have taken a year using traditional filming methods, the final product was criticized as "sloppy in its speed.".
Manolo Arroyo, Coca-Cola's global marketing chief, emphasized, "Thanks to AI, we've drastically reduced production time and costs," adding, "We can now complete an ad in just one month." However, industry insiders point out that this statement actually undermines the core of the problem. By focusing on technological efficiency, Coca-Cola is undermining the appeal of its long-established "emotional Christmas brand.".
Reactions on social media were lukewarm. Criticisms continued, with some saying, "The AI truck changes shape in every shot," and "Santa looks like a nightmare," while others analyzed the situation as "a marketing ploy to generate buzz through controversy." While some users left positive comments, calling it a "new attempt," the overwhelming consensus was that the brand's iconic emotional connection had vanished.
