Artists and the public have criticized Coca-Cola for its “distasteful” choice to use generative AI for a holiday ad instead of hiring artists and creative professionals. The new Coke commercial created controversy online, where people called it “unnatural,” “fake,” and “lazy.”
“Nothing like celebrating the spirit of Christmas with the most soulless commercial possible,” one commenter wrote. Alex Hirsch, creator of the Disney series “Gravity Falls,” joined the fray, posting on social media: “FUN FACT: @CocaCola is ‘red’ because it’s made from the blood of out-of-work artists! #HolidayFactz.”
About the Ad
Coca-Cola reportedly used its OpenAI-powered Real Magic AI platform for the 30-second video “The Holiday Magic is Coming,” an homage to the company’s 1995 “Holidays Are Coming” commercial. The 90s ad employed human actors, but the latest does not, prompting some users to say it destroys any nostalgia it might have had.
Real Magic AI functions like the DALL-E image generator and grants access to Coca-Cola’s archives of creative assets. In addition to its own AI platform, the company used four other models by three AI studios, including Secret Level, Silverside AI, and Wild Card. Each studio made a different version of the ad.
AI models may have been trained on the work of artists, but those artists are not compensated or credited for it—hence, the backlash from creative professionals. Because it uses Christmas imagery with a religious and cultural theme, the ad was perceived as insensitive and dehumanizing, which probably contributed to the public’s displeasure.
A more compelling reason for companies like Coca-Cola to turn to AI is to reduce the costs associated with creating ads and commercials. Companies could save more dollars from AI-generated ads than hiring artists and creative professionals.
Defending the Use of Generative AI in Ads
“We are always exploring new ways to connect with consumers and experiment with different approaches,” a Coca-Cola spokesperson said in the company’s defense. “This year, we crafted films through a collaboration of human storytellers and the power of generative AI.”
The recent ad is not Coca-Cola’s first AI-generated project. In March 2023, the company worked with OpenAI to produce “Masterpiece,” a commercial that depicts paintings and sculptures that come to life passing around a bottle of Coke in an art museum. The company argued that it continues to move forward with AI, saying it “will always remain dedicated to creating the highest level of work at the intersection of human creativity and technology.”