Opinion | This ad was brought to you by an algorithm

Artificial intelligence is a part of our lives. Everywhere you turn and in every industry, AI is sneaking its way in. Whether you see it as a life-improving tool that will change society for the better or a devastating invention that will destroy creativity and thinking, AI is here to stay. 

For instance, various companies’ advertisements and commercials are made with AI. Most notably, Coca-Cola used AI to create their 2025 “Holidays Are Coming” ad. Following the backlash from their 2024 Holiday ad made using AI, it is quite a shock to see them repeat this again. For decades, Coke has produced iconic and cheerful holiday ads highlighting Santa’s love for Coke and their symbolic polar bear figure. The recent ad completely missed the mark on the nostalgic and homey feeling that is Coca-Cola’s brand. 

The ad took 100 employees and 70,000 AI-generated clips to put together what people called “garbage” and “sloppy.” Whether you want to argue that Coke used AI to make this ad for financial reasons or out of pure laziness, it highlights the direction brands are headed. Coke is a universally loved product — unless you are a Pepsi person — but this campaign managed to leave consumers completely put off.

Coca-Cola is not the only perpetrator of AI in their ads. Brands like Heinz and Starburst took on AI to produce recent campaigns and advertisements. While these two brands used AI in their productions, it was not the main tool used to create the commercials. They are good ads because AI was used as an enhancement, not the original source of creativity. 

Heinz’s AI ad did not rely on AI to produce the whole commercial, but instead poked fun at it by highlighting the idea that AI knows ketchup is always Heinz. While the ad is three years old, it is still a video edited and thought of by humans. AI was just used as an additional tool to create the motto. 

Starburst presents a unique take on AI by delivering a different viewing experience that reinforces their campaign slogan, “Different Every Time.” Both Starburst and Heinz created a cohesive campaign using AI as a tool rather than a cop out to replace a classic ad. 

Coca-Cola is just one example of AI becoming too integrated into creative spaces. This is no hate towards AI itself, but to these billion-dollar companies that are spending money on AI instead of individuals with real ideas that could make a breakthrough in the marketing and advertising world. The truly scary realization is how far companies will take AI. Audiences are not happy with the heavy use of AI across these brands and others’ ads.

When comparing the Heinz and Coca-Cola ads, AI was used in completely polar opposite ways. In three years, AI in ads went from a comical concept to highlight the brand’s message to the main creative mode. AI is already terrifying enough, but the usage of it in this context is a huge step backwards for humanity. Even as AI is getting closer to human characteristics and habits, it should never be a substitute for human creativity. Coca-Cola cheaped out on the expense of real, raw ideas only a human mind could think of.

Coca-Cola received serious backlash and is truly an example of poor advertising. The world of marketing, social media and advertising are forever changing. Social media increased viewership and opportunities for brands to spread their message to new consumers. With this increased viewership and a more watchful eye comes a greater social responsibility. Many generations are already weary of the idea of artificial intelligence. Coca-Cola, which has the funds to produce a truly creative and unique ad for the holiday season, copped out and spent their advertising budget forcing designers to put prompts into chatbots. 

No matter your opinion on AI, some things should be left to human minds and creation. Coca-Cola will likely not be the last to make advertisements out of AI-generated content, but it certainly changes how viewers perceive the brand.

Sierra O’Neil is a junior marketing major who loves long walks, overpriced coffee and overanalyzing social media ads. A Pittsburgh native, she is always looking for different places to explore and companies to hire her as their new intern. Connect with Sierra by emailing her at sgo10@pitt.edu.