Daniel Best’s Post

Coca-Cola’s latest holiday ads, crafted with AI, are sparking quite the conversation in the creative world. The AI-generated commercials, which bring a modern twist to the brand’s classic “Holidays Are Coming” ad, highlight the growing potential of generative AI in marketing. While some praise the innovation, others argue the results feel too “soulless” or “creepy.” For me, it’s exciting to see how AI is evolving in the creative space—unlocking new ways to tell stories and offer fresh, hyper-realistic visuals. It’s not about perfection yet, but it’s clear that brands like Coca-Cola are leading the way in testing what’s possible. What are your thoughts on AI in advertising—game-changer or too much too soon? #AI #GenerativeAI #HolidayAds

I read an interesting article earlier about AI ads. Nearly half of consumers believe they can tell the difference between ads created by AI and traditional ones. What I found interesting is 49% say it doesn't matter as long as the ad is convincing. The study by LG Ad Solutions shows that for nearly half of consumers, the source of an ad—AI or human—doesn't overshadow its ability to persuade. There is huge investment in tech start ups utilising AI , with £3.5B secured in the UK. Some of the appeal is hyper-personalised campaigns. 74% of consumers feel ads are increasingly tailored to them. Interestingly, while there's an appetite for AI-driven personalisation in ads, the call for regulation is growing, particularly with political advertising as we near the 2024 elections. What are your thoughts on AI-generated advertising? #ai #advertising #innovation #marketingmoves

An interesting read in the FT on the Future of AI in Advertising. For me, it prompts a few immediate thoughts. AI is going to mean a new explosion in content. For marketers, it’s going to be more fragmented, cluttered, hard-to-cut-through, and it will be even more challenging to build meaningful relationships with customers. In OOH we have a powerful trust and reach argument across OOH & DOOH, so we can't get too lost in the hyper-targeting narrative and we need to champion context at scale that drives metrics throughout the funnel. As brands continue to look to OOH to deliver big reach and data-driven context, there’s a brilliant opportunity for the channel to show up more effectively in measurement. We have award-winning methodology to support people on this journey. Want to know more? Drop me a DM... https://lnkd.in/eZRxAJiK

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.

🎄 Did AI just steal Christmas from artists? Coca Cola's 1995 Christmas Ad got an AI makeover - and people aren't happy! 🤖 10,000 frames ⏱️ 2 months instead of 12 🌍 40+ creatives worldwide But wait... there's drama! 🎨 Artists are raising their voices 📊 83% of viewers stayed neutral 💭 Experts say this could reshape advertising forever What's your take on AI stepping into holiday traditions? https://lnkd.in/dPQue-rG For daily tech & marketing insights 👉 GigaNectar🚀 #AIinAdvertising #CocaColaChristmas #AIDebate #CreativeTech #MarketingTrends #DigitalEvolution

AI in advertising: A double-edged sword. Brands like Levi's and Toys R Us have jumped on the AI bandwagon, but are they reading the room correctly? This article from Adweek delves into five major AI ad blunders that companies have faced so far. It's a stark reminder that while AI offers immense potential, it also requires a nuanced approach. One key takeaway? Human oversight is irreplaceable. AI can enhance creativity and efficiency, but without the right checks and balances, it can lead to PR nightmares. Excited to see how brands refine their strategies moving forward. What are your thoughts on the right balance between AI and human creativity in advertising? Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gS8jCZxg

Despite the viral noise and expert criticism, the mass consumer response has been positive. Most viewers (the ones who matter) are unaware or indifferent about whether ads are made with AI. They have positive emotions towards the brand, and that is what counts. This WSJ article (may be paywalled) sums it up. Some key thoughts it sparked for me 1. CONSUMERS DON'T CARE ABOUT HOW ADS ARE MADE. Despite the criticism from industry professionals regarding the quality of AI-generated imagery, consumer response has been largely positive. Research indicates that most viewers are either unaware of or indifferent to the flaws in the AI-generated ads, suggesting that nostalgia for Coca-Cola's branding may overshadow concerns about the technology used in their creation. 2. AI ADS HERE TO STAY. JUMP IN OR BE LEFT BEHIND The use of AI in advertising is reshaping how companies like The Coca-Cola Company-Cola approach marketing. The brand is leveraging AI to create personalized and contextually relevant ads more quickly and efficiently, shifting a significant portion of its advertising budget towards digital platforms to better target younger consumers. 3. TAKE CRITICISM FROM EXPERTS WITH A GRAIN OF SALT Coca-Cola's recent holiday ads, created using artificial intelligence, faced backlash for their perceived poor quality. Critics argue that the ads, which featured distorted visuals and shiny faces, starkly contrast Coca-Cola's historically human-driven advertising campaigns known for their emotional resonance. What do you think? Are you riding or resisting the AI tsunami? #marketing #branding #management #mentoring

Coca-Cola just shocked the world with their latest holiday ad🤯.Here’s what they did 👇 🚀They used AI in a way no one saw coming. 🔷This move might just change how ads are created forever. 🔷They used Gen AI to remake the entire ad. 🟢What is Generative AI? ➡️ It’s advanced tech that creates text, images, audio, and video. 🔷Coca-Cola used it to: • Capture the nostalgic essence of the 1995 ad • Reimagine it with modern visuals • Create something that couldn’t have been done before 🔷Even the characters in the ad were AI-generated. Using the likeness of real actors (with their consent), Coca-Cola created a fully AI-modeled cast for the ad. 🟢Why is this a big deal? ➡️ This is Coca-Cola’s first fully AI-made ad to air nationwide on TV. It shows that AI isn’t just for online content—it’s starting to reshape traditional advertising. 🔷Think about what this means: Generative AI makes it easier to create high-quality ads. 🔷Brands can now: • Save millions on production • Make ads 5x faster • Try out bold new creative ideas 🔷Coca-Cola didn’t just save time or money—they used AI to push creative boundaries. 🔷This campaign shows that AI is used to unlock new ways of video storytelling. 🔷Coca-Cola’s move is just the start. As AI improves, we might see: • Ads made in days instead of weeks • Personalised video ads tailored to each person • Smaller brands competing with big players 🔷With this, Coca-Cola just showed us the future of advertising. The real question isn’t if AI will change advertising—it’s how fast the rest of the world will catch up. if you find this post helpful then do follow me.

Areas where Sorrell sees AI impacting advertising and media    1)Visualisation and copy writing. What took three weeks can take two hours. More use of text to visuals. This is a double-edged sword for agencies selling their services on time.  2)Hyper personalisation. Netflix has already taught us how to use data to create content at scale. AI can help build content factories at huge scale. The price of the assets will go down but the number of assets deployed will be greater so it will be a positive for agencies.  3)Media planning and buying. This will be revolutionised as media planners and buyers are replaced with algorithms.   4)Agency and client efficiency. Linear marketing plans that used to cost millions will be reduced to hundreds of thousands and client-agency bottlenecks are streamlined.  Knowledge transfer. The ability for people to share information inside companies is going to be revolutionised by AI, creating flatter organisational models with the ability for all teams to upskill and act quicker. Read more at:

Advertising has evolved through various disruptions, from print to digital, from direct to programmatic, and from linear to Connected TV. The next frontier lies in Generative AI. Discover how Operative is shaping the future of ad sales through AI-driven solutions. #Advertising #AI #Operative