Pumza Mthethwa’s Post

Coca-Cola's latest Christmas ad The Holiday Magic Is Coming has sparked major backlash for being fully AI-generated. Fans expected heartwarming, human-driven storytelling but were met with digital visuals that some called "soulless" and "devoid of magic." With its billion-dollar budget, many wonder why Coca-Cola didn’t hire real animators. Critics say this shows how even legacy brands can misjudge the emotional power of handcrafted creativity. Is AI creativity the future, or is human touch irreplaceable? #sangeliaworldwide #cocacola #cocacolachristmas #media #marketing #advertisement #coke

What happens when an iconic brand like Coca-Cola strays from its archetypal DNA?
In their recent AI-driven Christmas ad, Coca-Cola traded warm nostalgia for cold precision—and audiences noticed. Discover the lesson every brand should learn about balancing innovation with authenticity. https://bit.ly/3Z583PA #Truelio #BecauseEveryExperienceMatters #WherePassionMeetsPurpose #BrandExperience #BrandAuthenticity #AIinMarketing #BrandingLessons #Archetypes

#AI just killed the magic of Coca-Cola Christmas ads. Or maybe… it was supposed to? 🤔 As someone who’s spent years close to ad production and studied the art of influence as a sociologist, I’ve avoided ads for years. No TV, ad-free VOD, and every adblocker known to humankind. Why? Because I know exactly how they’re designed to manipulate us. But this new Coca-Cola ad, created by AI, made me curious enough to break my own rule. I decided to take a trip down memory lane and revisit Coca-Cola’s iconic commercials from my childhood. You know, the ones that felt warm, full of life, and made you want to believe in that shared moment of happiness? 🎅 The new ad though… Let’s just say it gave me chills – but not in a good way. All I could see were hollow gazes, lifeless and unsettling vibes. Is this what AI creativity looks like? Or was this all intentional and designed to spark conversations like this one? Maybe Coca-Cola didn’t aim to capture our hearts this time. Maybe they wanted to grab our attention, even if it meant giving up the magic. 🎄 So here we are. Talking about it. But was it worth it? Image credit: Coca-Cola (Screenshot from their 2024 christmas commercial). #CocaCola #Advertising #MarketingTrends

For decades, Coca-Cola’s “Holidays are Coming” ad has been a cherished holiday tradition. This year, the soft drink giant took a bold step: the 2024 advert was created entirely using AI. Replacing real actors and on-location shoots, the move was described by Coca-Cola as an “efficient way to save time and money.” But not everyone’s on board. Fans have called the AI-generated ad “soulless” and “a death of art,” with many saying it lacks the emotional connection that made the original so special. So, what do you think — can AI ever truly replace the magic of such iconic traditions, or has Coca-Cola’s Christmas fizz gone flat this time? 🎄🍾 #CocaCola #AIinAdvertising #HolidaysAreComing #ArtificialIntelligence #ChristmasTraditions

Over the last few months, one ad breakdown has outperformed the others by A LOT. And I’m not entirely sure why.  It’s this one from Stella Artois. And it’s part of a campaign reinforcing their infamous “Reassuringly Expensive” tagline.  Why is the line so good? Well, there are a number of reasons. But it's particularly good because it leans into two behavioural biases: Expectancy theory The Placebo Effect And according to the IPA, using new effectiveness methods, the tagline led to a 600% increase in ROI. To see why these biases had such an impact, click the link below. #adsfromthepast

Hot on the heels of having solved Jaguar-gate (see last post) I now move on to #AICokeXmas (only a week or so late). A post in four deliciously refreshing stages (although given my previous employment I am contractually obligated to point out that most people prefer the taste of Pepsi) 1. The Coke Xmas Truck ad is is probably one of the most effective / commercially successful ads ever made when we consider how it has allowed the brand to mentally own the Xmas season for decades in the markets where it has been deployed. (I have seen people well up when they watch the traditional non AI ad as it reminds them so strongly of childhood Xmas’s) 2. It is also a unique ad and not comparable to any other because it is the only one in the world which relies on NOT changing every single year - therefore it's the perfect ad for AI to have a go at. 3. A win win for Coke - lots of press coverage compounding the message that, for many, Coke advertising marks the start of Xmas (and they will still play the usual non AI Truck ad as well) 4. Get back to me when AI, rather than simply copy an ad that is literally designed to be regurgitated every year, can generate a whole new brilliant John Lewis campaign from scratch (so that’s probably next year right?)

💯 Coca-Cola's "Spills" campaign is all about occasion-based moments of consumption (something we at Ipsos know a thing or two about 😉). And by leveraging instantly recognisable brand assets and associating them with relatable moments of connection, they've created a powerful emotional linkage that transcends the product itself. #BrandStorytelling #DistinctiveBrandAssets #Marketing #RealMagic

🎄✨ lets talk about the Magic in Coca-Cola's 2024 AI-Powered Christmas Ad ✨🎄 The holiday season just got more innovative! 🍾 Coca-Cola has always been a trailblazer in bringing festive joy, but this year, they’ve taken it to the next level with their AI-enhanced Christmas ad. Watch the video, and let me know your thoughts! How do you see AI transforming holiday campaigns in the future? #CocaCola #ChristmasAd #AIMarketing #VideoMarketing #DigitalMarketing #CreativityMeetsTech

AR Advertising by Coca-Cola vs. Sci-Fi Beverage Cans. Which Future Do You Prefer? Imagine Coca-Cola bringing your drink to life through engaging AR experiences. Picture a future where digital payments and refills are as seamless as a scene from Star Trek. Coca-Cola is pushing boundaries with mixed reality, making every sip an adventure. Which perspective captivates you more? The innovative AR campaigns of today or the seamless, futuristic tech of tomorrow? Share your thoughts below!

I'm really enjoying all the hype around this Coca-Cola holiday ad. My thoughts at the moment: 1. As students of our audience, marketers have a responsibility to conduct experiments that help us learn about and better understand them. This seems like such an experiment. 2. Based on System1 testing, it looks like audiences still don't really care how advertising gets made. This is understandably triggering for marketers, but we're probably wise to keep in mind that the ad isn't for marketers. 3. In Q1, I'd love to see an analysis of paid and earned reach this year compared to prior years. To see how much of an increase in earned reach The Coca-Cola Company achieves simply by acknowledging this experiment they're doing. As a marketer, I love to see such a large company testing new tools in such a public way. I hope they use it as a genuine learning opportunity (and share what they learn with the rest of us). Openly stating that they used AI to make the ad seems brilliant as a zero-cost way to increase earned reach. I'm sure people will argue that this is damaging to Coca-Cola's reputation but I think that as marketers, we need to remember that, at the end of the day, consumers don't really care about brands and salience is key. In his recent presentation for Kantar Ignite, Mark Ritson summed it up brilliantly when he said, "don't ever bet against salience." Intrusive thought: how hilarious would it be if Coca-Cola didn't actually use AI and it was just to pump free exposure for the brand? Imagine: they make the ad using the same "old fashioned" CGI they've used for years (spoiler alert: the polar bears and other animals have always been artificially generated) and intentionally make it "look like it was made by AI" simply to generate buzz. That's probably hoping for too much but, oh boy how that would dial up the entertainment value. Another intrusive thought: This could be a new strategy to increase earned reach. Tell your human digital animator to "make it look a little weird, like it was generated by AI." Then tell the public you made the ad using AI. Sit back and enjoy the free exposure as media outlets pick up the story and marketers argue about a bunch of things that only matter to marketers. I'm genuinely curious to know what people think of all this. But let's keep the dialogue respectful and fun, friends. P.S. - If you made it this far and found yourself thinking, "I like the way this guy thinks," then from one marketing nerd to another, I'm looking for a new team to contribute my intellect, experience and creativity to. If you're in search of a marketing nerd, shoot me a direct message. I'd love to connect and see what we can figure out together. Cheers! #marketing #christmas #advertising #AI