Coca-Cola released a new AI-generated holiday advertisement in November 2025, its second consecutive year using generative video tools for the Holidays Are Coming campaign. The updated spot replaced the human characters that drew criticism in 2024 with animated animals, including polar bears, rabbits, and sloths, watching the brand's familiar red trucks travel through a snowy landscape.
Technology outlets and industry observers noted visible improvements over the prior year's version, including smoother truck wheel rotation and steadier lighting. Even so, the ad drew renewed criticism online, with viewers and creative professionals describing the visuals as inconsistent and the overall spot as lacking the warmth associated with Coca-Cola's original 1995 holiday commercial.
Commentary published alongside the ad's release pointed to a mix of animation styles within the same spot, with some scenes appearing polished and others looking unfinished. Observers also raised broader questions about major advertisers relying on generative AI for core creative work rather than production support tasks.
Coca-Cola's generative AI lead defended the campaign, arguing the production quality had improved significantly compared to the prior year. Public reaction remained divided, with some viewers welcoming the technical progress and others repeating criticism first raised during the 2024 campaign.
The company has not indicated whether it plans to continue using generative AI for future holiday campaigns.
Source: TechRadar - https://www.techradar.com/ai-platforms-assistants/coca-cola-faces-backlash-again-for-missing-the-spirit-of-the-holidays-with-another-ai-slop-ad