Although Coca-Cola’s innovative move of using AI to create the Christmas ad generated significant Buzz, and even made it to our class discussion subject, I still doubt whether this bold move could bring a positive impact to the brand or generate comparable bottom-line results.
I do appreciate the technical quality of the ad. The visual control is stunning with only a few minor flaws. The use of slow-motion shots and rapid cuts helps disguise imperfections, achieving a level of sophistication that is almost on par with human creators. This represents the current zenith of generative AI video technology. I can only imagine the high level of expertise required from the creative team to produce such a polished ad, even though they claim to have significantly reduced production time and costs.
However, as I see it, I cannot grasp the essence of this ad despite the impressive technical execution from both the creative agencies and Coca-Cola. I understand the company’s intention to highlight AI's ability to boost productivity and enhance personalization. Yet, this focus feels entirely disconnected from the festive Christmas atmosphere. Though AI generated “humans“ displays perfect smiles, they can never truly feel happiness. This is an ad devoid of “human warmth,” yet it is expected to drive human consumption. Fundamentally, the campaign reflects an exploitative undercurrent. Coca-Cola, as a corporate giant, appears to prioritize cost-cutting - saving on a one-minute video (and potentially more in the future) - at the expense of harming the livelihoods of artistic workers, whose creative output fuels AI training. It also risks increasing unemployment while proudly presenting this as an innovative leap forward. Additionally, it expects consumers whose work could potentially be displaced by AI to purchase their products at full price, further excluding them from sharing in the benefits of AI-driven profits.
From my perspective, at this moment, brands need to be more cautious while using generative AI in the creation process and carefully consider whether they should publicly emphasize its use. Especially now, when AI-generated videos are no longer novel, Coca-Cola’s decision to release a campaign purely propagandizing its technical prowess is unlikely to generate excitement among consumers. On the contrary, it risks alienating them.
That being said, this is merely my personal opinion, and I am eagerly awaiting the campaign’s bottom-line results - its sales. At the very least, it will serve as an intriguing case study to determine whether a tech-focused approach resonates with consumers or exposes the limitations of Gen-AI advertising in a world that increasingly values human connection.
