Imagine the magic of holiday cheer stripped away by cold, digital code— that’s the bold move Coca-Cola just made with its fully AI-crafted Christmas ad for 2025, igniting a firestorm of debate about creativity’s future. If you’ve ever felt that warm glow from those classic Coke commercials, this one might leave you questioning whether tradition can survive the AI revolution.
Coca-Cola is facing a wave of criticism over its latest holiday advertisement, completely produced using artificial intelligence for the 2025 season. Yet, the company stands firm, declaring that ‘the genie is out of the bottle, and you’re not going to put it back in,’ signaling their commitment to this tech-driven path no matter the uproar.
This eye-catching spot was brought to life by Secret Level, an innovative AI studio based in Los Angeles. It showcases the iconic red Coca-Cola trucks rolling through snowy landscapes, the familiar ‘Holidays are Coming’ jingle that gets everyone in the festive spirit, adorable wide-eyed animals peeking out with wonder, and a grand finale featuring Santa Claus himself—all infused with that unmistakable glossy, generated-by-AI aesthetic. For those new to this, generative AI is like a super-smart computer program that creates images, videos, and even stories from simple text prompts, almost like an artist painting with data instead of brushes.
Here’s what the team had to say: ‘We are incredibly proud to have partnered with Coca-Cola for the second time for the “Holidays are Coming” AI film. Last year was a cultural milestone, and this year, through animated characters, we bring magic across the globe with the arrival of the Coca-Cola trucks.’ You can check out the ad via this tweet from Jason Zada: pic.twitter.com/Bs7Gmj09gD (https://t.co/Bs7Gmj09gD) — Jason Zada (@jasonzada) November 3, 2025 (https://twitter.com/jasonzada/status/1985421425675780267?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw).
As a global powerhouse with a staggering market value of $292.38 billion, Coca-Cola has fully embraced generative AI in its advertising strategy. They dipped their toes in back in 2023 with their very first Coke commercial co-developed alongside AI tools, followed by a completely AI-generated Christmas ad in 2024. Even though last year’s version drew heavy flak—for being called ‘soulless and embarrassing’ in articles like this one (https://www.ign.com/articles/coca-colas-new-ai-generated-holiday-ad-slammed-as-soulless-and-embarrassing-this-is-such-slop)—the brand doubled down. This time around, they proudly announced an even leaner production: just 20 human team members involved, down from 50 the previous year. But here’s where it gets controversial… reducing human input might streamline costs, but does it dilute the heart of storytelling that makes ads memorable?
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/coke-new-ai-holiday-ad-video-1236416491/), Pratik Thakar, Coca-Cola’s global vice president and head of generative AI, addressed the critiques head-on. He noted that while folks knocked the ‘craftsmanship’ of the prior ad, this year’s version boasts quality that’s ’10 times better.’ To break it down for beginners, craftsmanship here refers to the polish and detail in visuals and animation—think of it as the difference between a rough sketch and a masterpiece painting.
Jason Zada, the founder and chief creative officer at Secret Level, chimed in with a candid take: ‘The haters on the Internet are the loudest. A lot of the people complaining last year were from the creative industry who were just afraid—afraid for their jobs, afraid for what it did. But I think the spot tested really well and average people really enjoyed it.’ And this is the part most people miss: while industry insiders worry about job losses, everyday viewers might just see a fun, shiny holiday treat without overthinking the tech behind it.
Thakar echoed that sentiment, reflecting on their bold choice: ‘Last year we decided to go all in, and it worked out well for us… Yes, some parts of the industry were not pleased we were using a 100% generative AI film, but that’s part and parcel of doing something pioneering. We understand that concern. But we need to keep moving forward and pushing the envelope. The genie is out of the bottle, and you’re not going to put it back in.’ Pushing the envelope means testing boundaries, like how early filmmakers experimented with color in black-and-white eras—innovative, but not without pushback.
These statements, combined with the ad’s release, have fueled a torrent of online backlash. Critics are zeroing in on the irony: Coca-Cola’s timeless slogan ‘It’s the Real Thing’ now beaming from a video born purely from algorithms. Is authenticity possible in an AI world, or is this just clever marketing smoke and mirrors?
Alex Hirsch, the mind behind the beloved TV series Gravity Falls, didn’t hold back on social media (https://x.com/_AlexHirsch/status/1985496545312251972): ‘“The genie is out of the bottle, and you’re not going to put it back in” — your boss firing you on Christmas.’ Ouch—that’s a sharp jab at the job displacement fears.
The outrage didn’t stop there. X user @captaincupkicks fired off: ‘Flexing that you put even more people out of a job is CRAZY, especially when this isn’t some metaphorical genie and is a technology forcing slop onto people’ (https://x.com/captaincupkicks/status/1985470448520306779). Another, @regularaugust, quipped: ‘This unarguably looks like shit, so it’s very funny the only defense anyone can come up with is “well, I mean it’s the future and all that”’ (https://x.com/regularaugust/status/1985485061282488324). @unikunka pointed out visual rip-offs: ‘You can literally see the characters from ZOOTOPIA and SING! in this. F**ing artistic grand theft’ (https://x.com/unikunka/status/1985477580515127548). And @TheJakeneutron questioned the whole metaphor: ‘What the f*k does a genie bottle have to do with you being purposefully lazy about your commercials?’ (https://x.com/TheJakeneutron/status/1985481186274394495).
Even on Coca-Cola’s official YouTube channel, where comments remain open, one viewer snarked: ‘The best ad I’ve ever seen for Pepsi.’ It’s a cheeky reminder of how this could backfire in the cola wars.
Think back to one of the all-time greatest Christmas ads—the original Coca-Cola holiday spot that set the standard for festive magic (https://t.co/ZcYVZdulzr pic.twitter.com/bwauR2laTX (https://t.co/bwauR2laTX) — cartoon moments that are raw (@rawtoonmoments) November 4, 2025 (https://twitter.com/rawtoonmoments/status/1985520063449796776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw). That human-touch classic evokes nostalgia; the AI version? It sparks debate on whether tech can replicate genuine emotion.
The broader conversation around generative AI in video creation—whether for ads or personal projects—is exploding across the entertainment world. Take OpenAI’s Sora 2 tool, for instance: it’s stirred massive controversy by enabling users to generate videos featuring copyrighted icons from hits like One Piece, Demon Slayer, Pokémon, and Mario, flooding social feeds. OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, brushed it off as ‘interactive fan fiction,’ but many see it as a slippery slope toward intellectual property chaos. For newcomers, this highlights how AI blurs lines between inspiration and infringement, much like sampling in music but on steroids.
Just last September, the actors’ union SAG-AFTRA dropped a fierce statement against Tilly Norwood (https://www.ign.com/articles/sag-aftra-hits-out-at-tilly-norwood-the-ai-generated-actress-that-has-enraged-hollywood), an AI-created ‘actress’ that’s got Hollywood up in arms over deepfakes and lost opportunities. Photo illustration by Brandon Bell/Getty Images.
A subtly controversial counterpoint: while AI might displace some jobs, could it democratize creativity, letting small creators compete with giants like Coke? Or is it just a shortcut that cheapens art? What do you think— is Coca-Cola’s AI ad a innovative step forward or a soulless cash grab? Drop your thoughts in the comments: agree with the pioneers, or side with the skeptics? I’d love to hear your take!
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.