Artificial Intelligence Displaying Coca-Cola Promo Sparks Debate on Advertising Amidst Global Crises
Coca-Cola recently shared three new holiday advertisements, created using generative AI. One for Coke Zero can be found on their YouTube channel, marked as unlisted. The comments below the video are a heated battleground. Some admire the ad, while others detest it. The controversy surrounds whether corporations should utilize AI to generate ads promoting their sugary drinks.
The ad is clearly inspired by the iconic 1995 Coca-Cola commercial. Featuring a convoy of illuminated Coke trucks spreading holiday cheer through a suburban landscape, this new advertisement incorporates elements of AI-generated "art" that often makes viewers uncomfortable. The individuals seem almost human but lack a genuine quality, appearing instead like animated mannequins.
"The start of the end of creativity," one commenter stated beneath the unlisted YouTube video promoting soda. "I may seem crazy now, but you'll see..."
"Why ruin my childhood with this rubbish? Are you angry that everyone prefers Pepsi and Dr. Pepper now?" another comment read.
"TRASH—soulless and lazy shortcut, why not innovate and do something new instead of just rehashing using AI to mimic what you previously created," said a third comment.
In our current world, even advertisements have lost their authenticity. At least people can argue about this. Various media outlets covered not only the advertisement but the reaction to it as well. "Coca-Cola criticized for 'ugly' AI-generated Christmas commercial: 'Dystopian nightmare,'" said the New York Post. "Coca-Cola's once-cherished 'Holidays Are Coming' ad is now a soulless and unsettling dystopian nightmare produced by AI," Techradar added.
Yet, advertisements have always been lackluster. Due to Coca-Cola and other corporations' overwhelming influence on our culture, the realistic nature of their advertisements has actually become a controversial topic. The YouTube comments are also home to those eagerly welcoming the arrival of the holiday season and associating Coca-Cola with Christmas cheer.
"It's not truly Christmas until I see that advert on television or YouTube," said one comment.
"I've loved the Coca-Cola Christmas advert since I was a child—the joy of the Yuletide and Coca-Cola have always been intertwined for me," another comment read.
Sadly, I find this more disheartening than any AI-driven Coca-Cola advertisement. If one is disappointed by the quality of art used to sell something, then they've already surrendered.
And, according to The Drum—an advertising newsletter—people appreciate the ad if they're unaware that it's AI-generated.
"We analyzed the emotional reaction to the brand associated with the ad. The typical analysis for us, with one minor difference," The Drum recently stated. "We didn't inform them that they were watching an AI ad or that they should compare it to the beloved original. Undoubtedly, as an advertising practitioner, you had bias when you clicked on the headline to watch the ad for the first time. So we estimated its creative effectiveness potential, and it scored remarkably well, surpassing all previous Christmas truck advertisements over the years."
Ultimately, corporations prioritize profits, and generative AI can prove a more cost-effective and efficient method for producing advertisements. To create the original advertisement, Coca-Cola had to employ crew, actors, drivers, and countless others. This time, they paid an AI studio, utilizing digital likenesses of some actors and computers for everything. The financial logic is clear.
This marks the future. Arguing about AI undermining the fond memories evoked by a soft drink advertisement during a holiday season that never experiences cold.
"The utilization of artificial intelligence in advertising is a hot topic, with Coca-Cola's recent AI-generated holiday commercial causing quite a stir. Critics argue that this approach lacks creativity and authenticity, as seen in the comments below the YouTube video."
"As technology continues to evolve, we're seeing more companies turn to AI for ad creation. Coca-Cola's decision to use AI in their holiday advertisement is a clear indication of this trend, setting the stage for the future of advertising."
