Coca-Cola’s new Christmas advertisement is facing criticism for its use of artificial intelligence. The ad, released for the 2024 holiday season, is a recreation of the company’s iconic “Holidays are Coming” commercial, which first aired in 1995.
This is the first time Coca-Cola has used AI for a Christmas television campaign. The ad includes a disclaimer stating, “Created by Real Magic AI,” referencing the company’s software. However, viewers expressed disappointment with the AI-generated ad on social media, particularly criticizing the absence of Santa Claus.
One user on X stated, “What the hell happen, ya made great Christmas ads, but this was horrible AI, we’re ya trying to save $$$ on this and not use green screen n actors. They only thing I liked was the OG theme song.”
Another user stated, “Nothing real or magic about an AI preaching humanity and consumerism. I like the traditional Coca-Cola ads, Santa, polar Bear and the likes, but ai has no seat at the creative table.”
While the reason for the backlash remains unclear, none of the three holiday ads created by Coca-Cola feature Santa Claus fully, showing only his hands. In response to the criticism, a Coca-Cola representative told Adweek: “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 the happiness and creating real magic!”