AI and Christmas

Coca-Cola released a new holiday advertising series, two of which were produced with generative AI, sparking heated controversy on social media. The two AI ads released on November 3 are reinterpretations of Coca-Cola''s classic 1995 "Holidays Are Coming" advertisement. Learning from previous year''s AI holiday ads criticized for unnaturally rendered humans, this year''s ads almost entirely replace humans with animals. First ad ("Holidays Are Coming"): Coca-Cola truck traveling through global cities while polar bears, pandas, seals, birds, and dogs watch the scenes. Second ad ("Holidays Are Coming, Fantastical," US-only broadcast): AI-generated animals (meerkats, rabbits, koalas, raccoons) watching a Coca-Cola truck; AI-generated Santa Claus appears at the end holding a Coke bottle while animals cheer. Production: created by Secret Level (an AI video production company), using AI to handle background, lighting, and motion. Public reaction split: critics argue the charm of the original ads came from human craftsmanship and authenticity that AI cannot replicate; supporters argue AI production represents legitimate creative tool use and the quality has improved significantly from previous attempts. Broader context: Coca-Cola''s use of AI ads represents a high-profile test case for whether AI-generated advertising can maintain brand equity — the company''s decision to largely remove humans from the frame (learning from 2024 criticism of uncanny valley human rendering) demonstrates how AI capabilities shape creative decisions, not just production efficiency.