Coca-Cola Launches Second AI-Generated Holiday Ad Amid Mixed Reception

Coca-Cola has released its 2025 “Holidays Are Coming” spot — the brand’s second straight holiday ad made with generative AI — produced with studios including Secret Level and Silverside and supported by WPP Open X. The company says the campaign blended human craft with advanced AI, using roughly 100 people to produce more than 70,000 AI video clips. The spot leans on animated animals rather than realistic humans, touts technical fixes such as properly turning truck wheels and updated character designs, and is accompanied by a 30‑second short called "A Holiday Memory." Despite Coca‑Cola’s defense of improved craftsmanship, the ad has provoked strong online backlash and reignited industry debate over AI’s impact on creative jobs and the emotional resonance of holiday marketing.