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Coca-Cola’s new AI-generated Christmas ad has sparked outrage online, with fans calling it “cheap,” “soulless,” and a “disgrace” to the brand’s holiday legacy. Coca-Cola’s holiday campaigns are usually synonymous with nostalgia, glowing trucks, joyful polar bears, and that unmistakable Holidays Are Coming jingle. But this year, the company’s attempt to modernize tradition through artificial intelligence has backfired spectacularly. The beverage giant unveiled its 2025 AI-generated Christmas commercial, created in collaboration with the AI studio Secret Level. It’s already drawing intense criticism across social media.
The ad, a 90-second film blending generative animation with Coca-Cola’s classic imagery, features the brand’s famous red trucks, Santa Claus, and a cast of cheerful animals. However, rather than using real animators or live-action crews, the spot was built through a machine-assisted production pipeline. The process relied heavily on AI to design and animate much of the content.
According to the project’s creative team, the generative approach allowed Coca-Cola to produce the national campaign in just one month with a small crew of around 20 people, a fraction of the time and cost of a traditional shoot.
Fans Say the ‘Magic’ of Coca-Cola’s Christmas Legacy Is Gone
Despite the technical achievement, fans say the final result feels anything but festive. Comments flooded X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok, where viewers called the new ad “disgusting” and “soulless.” “This is disgusting. You’re a multi-BILLION dollar company. Pay REAL animators,” one user fumed. “2025 AI slop cheap Coca-Cola commercial — you will never be 1990’s festively warm and comforting Coca-Cola Christmas commercial,” another wrote.
Others took aim at the company’s decision to replace its traditionally heartfelt storytelling with machine-made imagery. “Why would you replace such a memorable ad with AI?” one viewer asked. “They need to fire the person who made this immediately — even the roads look wrong,” another commented. “NGL, the way it feels is so different,” a third said. “The essence of Christmas is not there.” exclaimed a fourth.
Coca-Cola’s AI Ad Sparks Bigger Debate
For decades, Coca-Cola’s Christmas ads have symbolized comfort, nostalgia, and togetherness, qualities many fans say are impossible to fake through algorithms. And in the age of AI marketing, where efficiency often outweighs artistry, this controversy may serve as a cautionary tale.
The backlash echoes growing public discomfort with brands using artificial intelligence in creative industries, especially at the expense of human artists. Many social media users pointed out the irony of Coca-Cola’s reputation for warmth and human connection being overshadowed by what they see as a cold, algorithmic execution.
