Coca-Cola’s New AI Christmas Ad Just Dropped — And The Internet Says “Ho Ho No”
Yep, the 2025 Coca-Cola Christmas ad is officially here — and it’s 100% generated by artificial intelligence.
Coca-Cola’s holiday campaigns have long been a staple of the festive season — glittering lights, red trucks, jolly Santa, and that signature sparkle of nostalgia that somehow makes you crave a can of Coke at 10 a.m. But this year, the brand’s attempt to modernize Christmas has gone way off the rails, at least according to the internet.
Yep, the 2025 Coca-Cola Christmas ad is officially here — and it’s 100% generated by artificial intelligence. No cameras, no real snow, no humans painstakingly animating the twinkle in Santa’s eye. Just a computer, some prompts, and a whole lot of backlash.
The ad, which reimagines Coca-Cola’s iconic red trucks and cozy Christmas magic through AI-generated imagery, was meant to be a bold, futuristic step forward. Instead, many fans think it feels like stepping into the uncanny valley — where cheer goes to die.
Social media users didn’t hold back. One X user slammed the move as “disgusting,” writing: “You’re a multi-BILLION dollar company. Pay REAL animators. This is disgusting.”
Others chimed in to mourn what they see as the death of genuine holiday spirit: “2025 AI slop cheap Coca-Cola commercial, you will never be 1990’s festively warm and comforting Coca-Cola Christmas commercial.”
For a brand that built its reputation on heartwarming imagery and human connection — from polar bears sharing a Coke to Santa taking a sip by the fireplace — this new campaign feels more “Black Mirror” than “Merry Christmas.”
On TikTok, comments sections have turned into virtual protest zones. One viewer joked that the ad “feels like ChatGPT made it after three cups of eggnog,” while another simply wrote, “My childhood just unfriended Coke.”
Some fans say they’re taking it personally — not because the visuals are bad (okay, maybe a little), but because it feels like Coca-Cola has traded heart for hardware.
“Comments like this make me wanna permanently swap to the true artist’s soda,” wrote one disappointed viewer. (We’re guessing they mean Pepsi, but that’s a bold choice during the holidays.)
To be fair, Coca-Cola isn’t exactly hiding from the controversy. The company’s marketing team has described the campaign as a “forward-looking experiment in storytelling” — a way to merge tradition with technology.
But while AI might be efficient, it doesn’t seem to be stirring up the same warm fuzzies that used to come with seeing those glowing trucks rolling down a snowy road to the tune of “Holidays are Coming.”
Instead, fans say the result feels… off. Like someone asked an AI to describe Christmas based on old ads and a Pinterest board titled Generic Festivity Vibes.
Not everyone is raging against the AI machine. Some viewers have defended the ad, arguing that the future of creativity will include AI — and that Coca-Cola is simply ahead of the curve. “It’s different, but that’s the point,” wrote one fan. “Every generation gets its own version of magic.”
Still, most of the internet isn’t buying it. And honestly, maybe they have a point. Christmas is about connection, nostalgia, and emotion — three things that are a little hard to code into an algorithm.
Coca-Cola might be calling this a “new era of festive storytelling,” but for many, it’s a reminder that some holiday magic just can’t be automated.
Social media users didn’t hold back their opinions on the new ad.
"This is disgusting."
@relientkenny"AI slop!"
@mogutweetMight "swap to a true artist's soda."
@MeleeGames
So, what do you think — is AI the future of Christmas advertising, or has Coca-Cola officially put the “artificial” in artificial intelligence? Either way, one thing’s for sure: this year, Santa’s not the only one getting roasted online.
