“Soulless” and “creepy”: Coca-Cola’s AI Christmas ad is not landing

Coca-Cola rolled out its 2025 holiday campaign this week, relying heavily on artificial intelligence to do the work of a team of creatives. The company revived its classic red trucks, lighting the way to the holidays, though the shimmering snow, anthropomorphic animals, and twinkling lights did not charm critics.

Fans lamented the human touch in Coca-Cola’s AI Christmas ad

Folks on social media quickly traded jokes and rants about the rampant use of AI by corporations that can afford to pay real people for better work.

@TheRealSparky3 asked, “Remember when we had real commercials that consisted of both live-action and CGI?” Meanwhile, others called the spot “soulless” and “creepy.”

Some linked the creative shift to cost-cutting attitudes in entertainment and advertising. @XOpeningNight on X wrote, “the concept of making a Christmas ad which in itself is about loving & giving while not loving or giving to real human workers.”

Though the brand called its decision a modern storytelling experiment, comments on X suggested the sentiment did not land.

“Last year people criticized the craftsmanship. But this year the craftsmanship is ten times better,” Pratik Thakar, global VP and head of generative AI at Coca-Cola, told the Hollywood Reporter.

Another viewer, @Lunwi67, echoed the sentiment and said, “The spirit of Christmas is giving & gathering and you’re bragging about how many people you didn’t gather & give to.”

@sean_facey criticized the brand’s image versus its strategy. “This is a $300 billion company that has spent a century building its brand around the joy of interpersonal human connection, bragging about not using actual humans to tell their story.”

The backlash brought memes, sarcasm, and alternatives

Yet the reactions did not stop at criticism. Some responses veered into open hostility. “F*ck you, Coca Cola,” @LlanviewPA posted. “Your Christmas ads used to exude charm and nostalgia. Now, it’s the most charmless, artificial drivel.”

@_AlexHirsch added dry humor, saying, “‘The genie is out of the bottle, and you’re not going to put it back in’ – your boss firing you on Christmas.”

Moreover, users shared memes and comparisons. One person responded to the ad with a post referencing @kaseygifford.bsky.social, describing AI as a Thneed from The Lorax.

@captaincupkicks piled on, noting, “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.”

Still, not every response stayed negative; some promoted human-made projects as alternatives. Others resurfaced beloved ads crafted by real crews, almost as a holiday nostalgia playlist.