You can’t spell Christmas without… AI?
The Holiday Season is officially upon us. It still might seem a little early to celebrate Christmas, but try telling that to all of the retailers that have had their Santa stuff out since late September.
Consumerism love Christmas.
I’ll admit that the one thing I don’t mind butting in ahead of schedule are Christmas commercials. Typically I try to avoid advertisements at all costs, but sometimes there’s nothing better than a little holiday-themed ad spot.
However, there’s one commercial out right now that’s not necessarily spreading the holiday joy and Christmas spirit. Coca-Cola released another version of their patented “Holidays are Coming” commercial… and this year, it was created entirely using artificial intelligence.
The soda brand claims that their new X-Mas ad was “efficient” and saved both money and time, but that message – and the ad itself – isn’t going over well with the internet:
🎄🎅 The Coca-Cola Company has reimagined its 1995 classic “Holidays are coming” with an AI-generated version 🎅🎄
Coca Cola has brought back its iconic 1995 "Holidays are Coming" ad with AI, airing a 15-second clip to promote Coke Zero. This version features the Coca-Cola truck… pic.twitter.com/9UJX5HRf9O
— Ege (@egeberkina) November 15, 2024
As you might have read in the caption above the video, the original “Holidays are Coming” commercial aired in 1995 – and used real people on a real set. Coca-Cola called their new 15-second ad spot “innovative” and “an exciting venture into AI-generated storytelling.”
Here’s what the internet had to say about it:
just saw an ai generated coca cola commercial on tv. i dont rly like to talk about this much because it pisses me off but like genuinely how are we letting this happen. i feel like im watching the death of art and our planet unfold in front of my eyes and no one irl seems to care
— Moisty (@MoistyJc) November 13, 2024
The new Coca Cola advert is the most Ai generated video I’ve ever seen…
— Kirsten Ria (@KirstenRiaa) November 15, 2024
Coca Cola remade its most iconic line of holiday commercials into AI. I used to love seeing these ads every year
I’m sorry , Grinch, take it away pic.twitter.com/hljavpNLok
— LeblancPhotography (@KingofToons) November 12, 2024
Just saw the AI Coca Cola holiday commercial in my feed.
It’s a shame that a company that has historically seemed to support the arts has suddenly made such an anti-art turn with their recent campaigns.
2024: America hates good things.
— mattthehuman.bsky.social (@MightyMass) November 13, 2024
The world is so over if the christmas Coca Cola advert is made with AI
— sophie (@sophteg) November 14, 2024
As you can see, the AI takeover isn’t exactly going over well.
Coke partnered with Secret Level, Silverside AI, and Wild Card to generate 3 different AI holiday ads titled “Secret Santa,” “Silver Santa,” and “Unexpected Santa.”
“Unexpected Santa”
“Secret Santa”
“Silver Santa”
Many are viewing the artificial-intelligence-generated commercial as selling out, especially since Coca-Cola has such a rich history with Christmas advertisements. Their “Holidays are Coming” ads have always been beloved and anticipated… and now it appears that Coca-Cola didn’t even care to take the time to keep the tradition rolling.
The good news? You can still look up the original ad from 1995 on YouTube, back when they used REAL PEOPLE to make commercials:
