Coca-Cola is doubling down on artificial intelligence this season, launching “Refresh Your Holidays,” a global campaign built around a retooled version of its AI-assisted “Holidays Are Coming” ad. This 60-second spot opens on Santa cracking open a Coke and follows a fleet of holiday trucks lighting up the snowy streets—and attracting an unusually attentive pack of animals along the way. The refreshed ad was produced with help from generative AI tools and partners including Silverside AI and Secret Level, blending high-tech craft with Coca-Cola’s longtime festive formula.
While last year’s AI ad stirred up debate, Coca-Cola stuck to its sleigh and noted it not only hit internal performance benchmarks, but stacked up well against industry competitors. And that’s no small feat considering Coca-Cola practically co-authored Santa’s modern image. This year’s campaign not only bets again on AI but expands its emotional reach with a new 30-second ad, “A Holiday Memory,” which taps into nostalgia through a snow globe-triggered flashback soundtracked by “Feliz Navidad.”
Deployed across TV, online, in-store displays, out-of-home placements, and a scheduled tour of the brand’s well-known Christmas trucks, the campaign reflects Coke’s ongoing push for digital engagement and cultural relevance. Despite economic headwinds, the soda giant reported a 5% jump in Q3 net revenue, hitting $12.5 billion. According to CEO James Quincey, campaigns like this are proof that blending emotional storytelling with emerging tech can still quench consumer thirst—and maybe win the holiday season, too.
Full story at Marketing Dive.
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[…] McDonald’s opted for the latter, others are staying the AI course. Coca-Cola continued its AI holiday efforts despite criticism over distorted branding details—last year’s ad even scored top-three […]