Coca-Cola released another artificial intelligence holiday commercial one year after its first AI spot drew criticism from creative professionals and online communities, reported the Hollywood Reporter.
What happened?
The beverage company partnered with Secret Level, an AI studio in LA, to produce a new synthetic advertisement featuring the brand's signature holiday trucks. This version shows only animated animals watching the vehicles travel through winter scenes, with Santa Claus appearing briefly in the final moments based on Coca-Cola's archived artwork.
The 2024 commercial generated backlash when it used artificial intelligence to create people, wildlife, and backgrounds. Writer Alex Hirsch criticized the company on social media, while others raised questions about appearance and the displacement of human artists.
Pratik Thakar, Coca-Cola's global vice president of generative AI, acknowledged the criticism but defended the choice.
"The genie is out of the bottle, and you're not going to put it back in," he said.
Jason Zada, founder of Secret Level, said the new commercial needed roughly 20 people on the production team. A traditional animated spot with the same level of detail would normally employ 50 or more workers.
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Why is Coca-Cola's AI advertising problematic?
Training AI models consumes massive amounts of electricity and water for cooling data centers. A single AI image can use as much energy as charging your smartphone, while video generation requires exponentially more power.
As companies scale up synthetic content production, they add to the energy grid's burden when we need to reduce consumption.
When fewer creative professionals work on projects, those workers lose income that might have supported sustainable choices. Concentrated wealth at corporations deploying AI instead of human talent can slow broader climate action.
Coca-Cola's marketing transformation centers on AI across its advertising spending of $5 billion each year. While the company claims it won't reduce overall spending, efficiency gains often translate to cost-cutting over time.
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Should companies be required to help recycle their own products?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Definitely 👍 The company has made some positive moves on sustainability. Coca-Cola now uses 28% recycled material in its packaging and reports that 99% of its containers can be recycled. The beverage maker also sells 14% of its products in reusable packaging.
What can be done about AI in advertising?
If you work in advertising or creative fields, talk with colleagues about synthetic content's long-term effects. Professional organizations and unions can advocate for policies that protect jobs.
Contact Coca-Cola to voice concerns about AI-generated advertising's energy expenditures. Companies respond to consumer feedback from loyal customers who care about environmental commitments.
Support brands that prioritize human creativity in their marketing. Push your local representatives to require energy impact disclosures for AI systems, helping consumers make informed choices about which companies to support.
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