...
...
Next Story

Coca-Cola’s ‘holidays are coming’ AI ad for Christmas fails to impress the internet: ‘A sloppy eyesore’

Coca-Cola teamed up with a San Francisco-based studio to create the AI ad which has been receiving backlash since its release.

Published on: Nov 4, 2025, 02:27:59 IST
Advertisement

Coca-Cola has dropped its 2025 Christmas ad, and people are not happy. The short film, which was shared on YouTube, was created using artificial intelligence (AI). This marks the second consecutive year that the beverage giant used AI to create its holiday ad.

This is the second year in a row that Coca-Cola shared a Christmas ad created using AI. (YouTube/@Coca-Cola)
This is the second year in a row that Coca-Cola shared a Christmas ad created using AI. (YouTube/@Coca-Cola)

“The holidays are here, so grab a Coca-Cola and spread the cheer!” the company wrote while sharing a video. The company teamed up with San Francisco-based studios Secret Level and Silverside AI to create the ad.

Also Read: AI imagines what constant scrolling and slouching could do to humans in 25 years: ‘It’s terrifying'

As per a blog post by the company, the ad pushes “the boundaries of technical precision, cinematic storytelling and production quality.”

How did social media react?

A third called it a “sloppy eyesore,” while a fourth wrote, “One of the world's largest and most influential beverage companies can surely, surely spare a few grand for a competent animated or live-action advertisement. This is just sad. Is this where we are as a society? Is this the best we can do in our century?”

How was the ad created?

“Leveraging advanced GenAI tools, we controlled every cinematic detail, from camera angles to physics-driven realism, with intuitive visual annotations mimicking a director’s workflow,” said Pratik Thakar, Global Vice President & Head of Generative AI. “Most revolutionary is our seamless narrative continuity and character consistency, crafting immersive stories that resonate deeply. This is more than filmmaking — it’s a transformational leap into the future of creativity and technology."

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Trisha Sengupta

Trisha Sengupta is a Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of digital newsroom experience. Specialising in high-engagement storytelling, she blends viral trends with traditional journalism to cover the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. Her reporting spans real estate and personal finance struggles in hubs like Bengaluru and Gurgaon, the NRI experience, and corporate shifts like tech layoffs. Trisha also frequently tracks global figures and writes human interest stories. Offline, Trisha is an avid reader, history enthusiast and solo traveler. She balances her journalism career with family life while actively integrating AI tools into her modern storytelling approach.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Hindustantimes wants to start sending you push notifications. Click allow to subscribe