Coca-Cola’s new Christmas commercials, created by artificial intelligence (AI), have generated criticism on social media. Many users claim that the magic of the brand’s traditional campaigns has been lost, while others point to visual errors and the discomfort caused by the images generated.
According to Forbes, the ads were developed by three AI studios — Secret Level, Silverside AI and Wild Card — using models such as Leonardo, Luma, Runway and Kling. The proposal was to pay homage to the classic 1995 Christmas commercial, “Holidays Are Coming”, with the iconic illuminated trucks and the presence of Santa Claus. However, the result included scenes marked by distortions, strange movements and unnatural elements.
One of the commercials, which includes scenes with humans, was the most criticized. To avoid the so-called “uncanny valley”, the faces appear quickly and Santa Claus is not shown — just his hand holding a bottle of Coca-Cola. Other errors drew attention, such as truck wheels that slide without turning and unrealistic proportions in the scenarios.
On the networks, the reaction was mostly negative. Many film and TV professionals criticized the campaign, considering it an attempt to cut costs and reduce the participation of human creative teams. The creator of Gravity FallsAlex Hirsch, quipped that Coca-Cola “is red because it is made from the blood of unemployed artists”.
The controversy highlights the challenges of using AI to create advertising videos and raises debates about the efficiency, environmental impact and artistic quality of this technology. While the campaign tries to evoke nostalgia, critics point out that it lacks the human touch that made Coca-Cola’s previous campaigns a landmark in the collective imagination.
