If anyone understands the importance of Christmastime marketing, it’s Coca-Cola. After all, it’s the soft-drink giant who is largely responsible for the modern image of Santa Claus himself in the iconic red and white suit and big round belly. If it hadn’t been for Haddon Sundblom’s portrayal of St. Nick, who knows if Coke would have its current reputation as a holiday staple? Unfortunately, Coke’s 2024 holiday marketing campaign has not been well received, due to its use of AI animation techniques.
Holiday Marketing Done Right...and then, Wrong
If you were around in 1995, cheerfully sitting in front of the television during your Christmas holiday break, you were almost certainly privy to the very first Coca-Cola Holiday Truck commercial. That classic ad featured a fleet of Christmas-light-decked Coca-Cola trucks with a rosy-cheeked Santa Claus on the side of each vehicle. As the fleet moved into town from the wintery darkness, its passing triggered the lighting of a beautiful bridge, and an unlit home where a father struggled to manage his circuit breaker. Somehow, this barrage of Coke trucks seemed to bring Christmas to a picturesque village, literally lighting up the darkness as it approached. The commercial felt familiar and magical at the same time.
This year, Coca-Cola chose to fill its annual Christmas holiday advertising block with a brief nostalgic look at the holiday truck and a cozy village lit up brightly and cheerily against the dark. The twist? The visuals have clearly been animated by AI software, a highly controversial creation process notorious for muddling details like hands and architecture. To be fair, the animated hands grasping glass bottles of Coca-Cola in this year’s holiday commercials appear to have the correct number of fingers and thumbs, but that hasn’t stopped audiences worldwide from experiencing the uncanny valley effect of AI faces and mannerisms.
What's more, if you visit the Coca-Cola website right now, you can create your own "Real Magic" AI experience with their branded interface!
“I loved the 1995 commercial from Coca-Cola. It's iconic and so magical. I always get goosebumps and tears in my eyes. Because it stands for a better carefree nostalgic time when I was a teen. I never saw a better holiday season commercial after that. I always miss the magic. I just saw the AI version and it's all so fake. It lacks the warm fuzzy holiday feeling.” (@Seema.Ashwina)
Should You Use AI in Your Marketing Strategy?
While embracing new technologies like AI can be exciting, it’s important to balance innovation with authenticity. There are multiple ways that artificial intelligence can enhance the modern marketing strategy, such as assisting with topic research, coming up with social media post ideas, scheduling routine email updates, and creating editable website copy. Some graphic designers work with AI design software such as Magic Design™ and Designs.ai to save time on creative projects, just like some SEO specialists and writers use ChatGPT or Gemini to complete batch projects in a fraction of the time.
Is it a good idea to use AI in marketing? That really depends on how you decide to use it! Obviously, it would behoove us to learn a lesson from Coca-Cola's example this year and remember that audiences aren’t impressed by the lack of a human touch. Especially when the product comes from a multi-billion-dollar company! The bottom line is quality. If AI diminishes the quality of your social media posts, blogs, website, customer service, or product – then it’s not going to win you any followers or customers.
Here's a fun example of what happens when you input random data into the Coca-Cola Real Magic AI creator:
When using AI in marketing, it’s important to remember that the finished product is up to you. Learn how to get the most from your AI software in terms of written copy and visual designs, but don’t leave anything unedited or untweaked. Artificial intelligence is amazing, but it’s still in its infancy and is merely creating content based on what it has been shown. It doesn’t understand your business context, and it doesn’t have any new, brilliant ideas. Use it only to do something it does well, and put the sparkle on the content yourself.
We Make Your Holiday Branding a CINCH!
At Cinch Communications, we use technology in a way that complements, rather than replaces, human creativity and wisdom. Yes, AI and automation tools can make certain tasks easier, but the heart of your holiday campaign should still reflect the warmth and personal touch your customers have come to love.
Want to embrace the community with your own seasonal marketing campaign? We’d love to help! Schedule a meeting through this link, or give us a call at 403-967-1600.
Happy Holidays!
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