Coca-Cola created an AI-generated advertisement for the second year in a row, which sparked a lot of criticism online.
The 2024 AI ad was not warmly received, but it seems Coca-Cola is not abandoning the concept of AI-generated advertisements.
This year’s AI advert is a reproduction of the original from 1995, with some modifications. The decorated Coca-Cola trucks continue to make holiday deliveries while driving across a snowy landscape. Instead of excited children looking out the window, AI created animals such as polar bears that are staring at the trucks.
Most people’s reactions are negative. They claim that innovation is fading, people are losing their jobs, and the advertisement doesn’t even look good.
However, there are some opposing comments, such as “Why overpay a bunch of nerds to make the same thing as the AI effects?” Essentially saying that it makes no difference whether it’s AI or not because it’s only an advertisement.
But is it only an advertisement?
Despite what many may think, the Coca-Cola Christmas advert has become a cultural phenomenon. For many, the commercial felt like a cosy, hopeful winter dream that signalled the beginning of Christmas.
The Coca-Cola trucks even became a part of holiday celebrations. In 2001 Coca-Cola launched the Christmas Coca-Cola truck tours worldwide. Families would go to see the trucks and enjoy the holiday spirit.
The original advert wasn’t simply about Coca-Cola as a product. It was about experiencing a heartfelt moment. The company crafted stories that reflected what made holidays meaningful for people.
Before AI, Coca-Cola changed its advertisement each year based on how we as a society experienced the holidays. They designed their advertisements to appeal to our emotions and cultural trends, ensuring that people could relate to them.
This is the problem with the new advertisement. It has nothing of real human experience in it. The ad that celebrated human connection completely lost its magic. There are no people, no warmth, and no joyful feeling about the coming celebration.
Regardless of all the backlash, the company will likely continue with AI because it is cheaper and easier, but at the cost of its cultural value.
The real question is whether we want the companies to solely focus on promoting their product, without the human touch that once made their campaigns so special.
Featured image credit: Pexels