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For many of us, that festive feeling doesn’t really hit until we see Coca-Cola’s iconic “holidays are coming” advert.
However, the sight of that famous truck coming around the bend has left plenty of people feeling cold this year.
Last week, the drinks giant unveiled a string of new ad spots that were entirely generated using artificial intelligence.
The decision for a brand as big as Coca-Cola to use AI in its much-hyped ad campaign was immediately controversial, due to the environmental impact such technology has, as well as the potential risk to artists in creative industries posed by the rise of AI.
Others took issue with the ad itself, which some suggested was uninspired, while pointing out glitches and other unsettling aspects of the AI-generated people and imagery:
Coca Cola using ai for an ad is genuinely so terrifying to me. Art is dying.
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
— KJ VA 🎙️🏳️🌈 (@KJBurbankVA) November 17, 2024
Without a hint of irony, Coca Cola releases a bunch of AI-created Christmas ads, based on one from the 90s', with the theme 'It's always the real thing'!https://t.co/PJ43JmdCZz
— Tony Parkin (@tonyparkin) November 17, 2024
The thing I find so baffling about Coca-Cola's AI ad is that it seems like it would have been so easy for them to make the normal way.
It's not like they don't have the money.
Just seems lazy and anti-art.
— mattthehuman.bsky.social (@MightyMass) November 15, 2024
" real magic " and it's AI this is so dystopian i hate it here
— eri˚❀*·ꕤ. (@eternalcumslime) November 16, 2024
just saw an ai generated coca cola commercial on tv. i dont rly like to talk about this much because it pisses me off but like genuinely how are we letting this happen. i feel like im watching the death of art and our planet unfold in front of my eyes and no one irl seems to care
— Moisty (@MoistyJc) November 13, 2024
It’s ironic that Coca Cola shows polar bears in their ads while actively killing them by using generative AI https://t.co/A2MMi4h68b
— MARU – #1 Petey's husband🇵🇪🍉DOG MAN MOVIE HYPE (@maru_chan_art_) November 15, 2024
Such a great example of how AI cannot generate new ideas but simply smush together what was previously created. Yes this looks like a poor imitation of the typical Coca-Cola Xmas commercial https://t.co/R6QfQD31t3
— Brenden Gallagher (@brendengallager) November 15, 2024
The reason the cocacola AI ads look exactly like every other coca-cola ad youve ever seen: AI can’t create
— Brian Box Brown (@boxbrown) November 18, 2024
I mean, yes. But also like, what's the point of being Coca-Cola if any rando can generate the exact same ad going forward? Like the entire brand is the authenticity of "real" Coca-Cola and has been forever. AI is store-brand cola. pic.twitter.com/o35YUHlixJ
— @gemofamara.com on bsky (@GemOfAmara) November 17, 2024
we can tell, it looks like shit. wonky hands, eyes, smiles, and fingernails on the people. not even meeting the quality/realism standard of video games. hire actors and stop the bullshit. ♥️ https://t.co/TRoaUydnpC
— danisha carter (@danishacarterr) November 16, 2024
my favorite shot of this is the panting dog that doesn't move at all. its like a lifeless taxidermy serving as cheap imitation of life, much like generative ai https://t.co/UQC2LKZeqkpic.twitter.com/NJ0i0p9lbr
— George Crudo (@GeorgeCrudo) November 16, 2024
Those stupid fucking floating fat Father Christmas fingers not fucking touching the bottle https://t.co/kTdiGyUoll
— A (@SheisOkay__) November 16, 2024
oh cool i was wondering why it looks like shit https://t.co/2x0QbAInn4
— Fin (@gofinurself) November 16, 2024
Sorry but if the multi-billion dollar company Coca-Cola can't even make a decent half-minute commercial with AI and all the resources, what can you expect from everyone else?
— AI Generated Hall of Shame (@ai_shame) November 18, 2024
I’ve shot internals for coca-cola and you won’t be surprised to learn there’s a very specific way bottles are to be captured. if ai can’t even “generate” the most photographed product in history correctly, then truly wtf are yall doing https://t.co/dENu2I3Bzb
— ZAQ🌻 (@zackbys) November 16, 2024
This is actually incredibly sad because Coca Cola's Christmas commercials have usually been super creative and now it's just AI slop 😞 https://t.co/T4sXUGX8CV
— Carlos🐑 (@touhouamongus) November 17, 2024
A spokesperson told The Independent: “Coca-Cola’s exciting venture into AI-generated storytelling demonstrates Coca-Cola’s commitment to embracing innovation, leveraging our collaborations with top creative and technology partners, while staying true to its core values: spreading happiness and creating real magic!”
HuffPost UK has also contacted Coca-Cola for comment.
Coca-Cola isn’t the only brand to have taken a markedly different approach with its much-anticipated Christmas ad this year.
Last week, the British department store John Lewis unveiled its own festive advert, taking a notably more mature approach than previous years by choosing to focus on a pair of sisters at Christmas, rather than the cuter (and more marketable!) characters featured in past campaigns.
It has also ditched its trademark musical covers in favour of a different type of soundtrack choice.
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