Coca-Cola draws backlash for second AI Christmas ad

Coca-Cola Faces Second Year of Backlash Over AI-Generated Christmas Ad

The Coca-Cola Company faced widespread criticism Monday after releasing its 2025 holiday commercial entirely generated by artificial intelligence, marking the second consecutive year the beverage giant has sparked controversy with its AI-powered Christmas advertising.

The 60-second “Holidays Are Coming” advertisement, released November 3, recreates the company’s iconic 1995 Christmas commercial using generative AI studios Silverside and Secret Level. According to media intelligence firm CARMA, public reaction showed 32% negative sentiment compared to just 10.2% positive responses, representing a significant deterioration from pre-campaign levels of 31.4% negative and 23.8% positive.dataconomy

Executive Defense of AI Strategy

Despite mounting criticism, Coca-Cola executives remained defiant about their AI strategy. Pratik Thakar, the company’s global vice president and head of generative AI, told The Hollywood Reporter that “the genie is out of the bottle, and you’re not going to put it back in”.hollywoodreporter

“Last year people criticized the craftsmanship. But this year the craftsmanship is ten times better,” Thakar said, acknowledging that while some industry professionals remained displeased, consumer engagement metrics supported their approach.80

Jason Zada, founder of Secret Level, dismissed online critics as “the loudest” voices, telling reporters that “a lot of the people complaining last year were from the creative industry who were just afraid — afraid for their jobs, afraid for what it did”.mirror

Technical Production and Cost Savings

The campaign required five AI specialists to refine over 70,000 generated video clips, working with approximately 100 total team members — similar to traditional productions but completed in about one month rather than the typical year-long timeline. Chief Marketing Officer Manolo Arroyo emphasized the financial benefits, stating the AI approach was both faster and cheaper than conventional methods.dataconomy

This year’s version addressed technical flaws from 2024, including properly rotating truck wheels and focusing on animated animals rather than uncanny human characters that drew particular criticism in the previous campaign.cybernews

The advertisement features Coca-Cola’s signature red trucks traveling through snowy landscapes while various animals — including polar bears, pandas, sloths, and rabbits — watch in wonder, concluding with Santa Claus opening a Coke bottle.techradar

Industry and Consumer Response

Online reaction remained overwhelmingly negative, with social media users calling the advertisement “disgusting,” “soulless,” and “cheap”. One viral comment declared it “the best ad I’ve ever seen for Pepsi,” while others criticized Coca-Cola for prioritizing cost-cutting over artistic authenticity.thenerdstash

“This is disgusting. You’re a multi-BILLION dollar company. Pay REAL animators,” wrote one user, capturing widespread sentiment about the company’s decision to use AI despite its substantial resources.ibtimes

The controversy reflects broader tensions in the creative industry as major brands increasingly adopt AI tools for content production, raising concerns about job displacement and the loss of human creativity in advertising that traditionally relies on emotional connection during the holiday season.techradar