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

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

Coca-Cola’s decision to create its iconic holiday ad entirely with AI has certainly sparked debate. While AI offers undeniable efficiency, this move raises a critical question: can technology truly replicate the emotional connection and nostalgia that make traditions like this so special?  For many, the “Holidays are Coming” ad is more than just an advertisement- it’s a symbol of the season, tied to memories and human creativity. Replacing that with AI might save time and money, but at what cost to the brand’s emotional resonance?  #CocaCola #AIinAdvertising #ChristmasTraditions #HolidaysAreComing

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?)

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

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

Coca Cola's AI generated ad faced criticism for lack of originality offers a good lesson that the big brands should not only believe in technology, they should also use the human intervention in creating ads..... no human intervention means, it will fail to succeed..... When #AI Goes Wrong Death of art': Coca-Cola faces #backlash over AI-generated Christmas #ad #CocaCola’s holiday nostalgia takes a futuristic turn, but not everyone is raising a toast to the change. Coca-Cola’s attempt to blend holiday cheer with cutting-edge technology has sparked online #outrage after releasing an AI-generated Christmas #commercial. While the 15-second spot reimagines the iconic 1995 “Holidays Are Coming” #campaign with a convoy of festive Coca-Cola trucks delivering #soda to a snow-clad town, many viewers are far from impressed. The commercial, created using Coca-Cola’s “Real Magic AI” software, features entirely #AIgenerated visuals, including the characters and #festivescenery. The global #beverage giant says the ad bridges its traditional #brand heritage with future-forward technology. However, the ad, which aired this week, has drawn sharp criticism. Social media users slammed it as “creepy,” “dystopian,” and “soulless,” questioning the lack of human artistry in a campaign that has historically evoked strong emotional responses. “The world is so over if the #Christmas Coca-Cola advert is made with AI,” one viewer lamented on X (formerly Twitter). Another YouTube commenter described it as “sad to see this was made with AI.” One viral post on X declared, “Just saw an AI-generated Coca-Cola commercial on TV… genuinely, how are we letting this happen?” #artificialintelligence #commercialad #art #wrong #sadad #aigeneratedad #marketing #advertising #artwork #marketers #wakeup #brandinglessons #lessonslearnt #lessons #learning #marketinggoeswrong #wrong #failure #LESSONSFROMFAILURE #marketingchaos #festivalwishes #festival #AIfail

#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

"’Tis the season, it’s always the real thing"—until it’s not. #AI This year, The Coca-Cola Company’s new Christmas ad was generated with AI. For me it raises an important question: when does an ad need to be completely real, enhanced with CGI, or created by AI? Take Dove, for example. Their Campaign for Real Beauty means they’ve committed to never using AI-generated people in ads, staying true to their message of authenticity. On the other hand, we’ve seen brands get into trouble for misleading ads—like mascara commercials using false lashes. But what does this mean for AI-generated lashes? In some cases, we might need to draw clearer lines. Consider product-focused campaigns, like toothpaste ads showing whiter teeth. These feel most authentic when created with “real” imagery to maintain trust and transparency with consumers. As AI becomes a central tool in advertising, could it blur the lines of ethics—or even lead to legal challenges? What happens when “the real thing” becomes indistinguishable from something digitally or artificially created? Let me know your take. Is this a risk, or simply the next step in the evolution of #creativity?

https://lnkd.in/eJAzj84J https://lnkd.in/eAnVfEFa Please read this thoughtful article on the AI Coke Christmas Advert by Andrew Tindall. - I share the view that what matters in marketing is effectiveness (it’s actually something the marketing sector needs to keep working at - measure it). - Provoking emotion that may influence behaviour requires emotional connection. What leaves some cold may influence other. - Artists and Creatives seem to care more than some others about use of AI in creation and the art and craft. One final consideration is that the ad was tested with non creatives. Creatives are part of Coke’s market too. Andrew Tindall I’d be interested in seeing a repeat of the test with artists, creatives and marketers who aren’t told this is AI and how they respond. Great article.