Coca-Cola Unveils AI-Generated Christmas Ad 2023
With the festive season just around the corner, Coca-Cola has announced a groundbreaking update to its iconic 'Holidays Are Coming' Christmas advert. For the first time, the campaign is created entirely using AI, heralding a new chapter in the company's storied advertising history.
For many years, Coca-Cola's Christmas commercials, featuring the signature red delivery lorry and the cheerful presence of Santa Claus, have become synonymous with holiday cheer. This year, the company takes a bold step forward, utilising AI to breathe new life into this festive tradition. This innovative approach not only demonstrates Coca-Cola's dedication to innovation but also highlights the broader trend of embracing AI technology across its global operations.
Crafting a festive narrative with AI
During the campaign launch in London, Javier Meza, the President of Marketing and Europe CMO at Coca-Cola, introduced the AI-driven concept to the public. Although the specifics of how AI has been employed remain undisclosed, the company describes the creative process as an interpretation of the classic advert.
"We recreated it by combining human ingenuity and human creativity with artificial intelligence tools to deliver the first-ever Coca-Cola ad, fully created with artificial intelligence," Javier explained.
The integration of AI extends beyond just the production of the commercial. Coca-Cola is offering an enhanced festive experience through interactive features on its products. By scanning a QR code found on special Christmas-themed Coca-Cola bottles or cans, consumers can interact with digital avatars such as Santa Claus or a snow globe. This feature allows users to create and share a personalised snow globe animation, drawing from their own memories and experiences.
More than just an ingenious approach to one of its most beloved adverts, this move showcases Coca-Cola's commitment to incorporating advanced technology into its branding and consumer interactions.
An extensive AI strategy
The debut of an AI-generated Christmas advert is not an isolated endeavour but part of Coca-Cola's comprehensive strategy to integrate AI across various facets of its operations. In 2023, Coca-Cola established a global services alliance with Bain & Company and OpenAI, creators of the influential AI model ChatGPT. This collaboration has culminated in the creation of Create Real Magic, an online platform that utilises the capabilities of GPT-4 and Dall-E—AI engines known for generating text and images from textual descriptions.
Last Christmas, the platform enabled fans to create bespoke digital greeting cards, highlighting the potential of AI in enhancing customer engagement. Yet, Coca-Cola's AI initiatives go well beyond seasonal advertising. The company has been revolutionising its vending machines, turning them into intelligent, data-collecting entities.
In a pivotal experiment conducted in 2014 in Newcastle, Australia, a network of 60 vending machines equipped with an AI algorithm recorded a noteworthy 15% increase in transactions and an 18% decrease in restocking trips.
This trial marked the foundation of HIVERY, an AI enterprise that now applies its vending analytics solutions in Australia, New Zealand, and the US, optimising product placements and improving both operational efficiency and sales performance.
Further personalising consumer interactions, Coca-Cola introduced the Freestyle touchscreen soda fountain in 2009. These cloud-connected, AI-enhanced machines offer a selection of over 100 beverages, allowing users to create their own drink concoctions through a mobile app. The collected data aids Coca-Cola in tracking consumer preferences and shaping its marketing and product development strategies accordingly.
Leveraging AI for enhanced performance
As AI becomes increasingly embedded within Coca-Cola's framework, its impact extends from high-profile marketing campaigns to more subtle, yet equally significant, operational improvements. Manolo Arroyo, Coca-Cola's global chief marketing officer, asserts that the company is "just scratching the surface of what we believe will help create the industry's most effective and efficient end-to-end marketing model."
The decision to launch an AI-generated Christmas advert is not just a seasonal marketing tactic but a clear indication of the future trajectory of the beverage industry. As AI technologies evolve, we can expect to witness more creative and technologically sophisticated initiatives aimed at marrying creativity, technology and consumer engagement.
In adopting AI, Coca-Cola not only maintains its relevance but is redefining what it means to be a global leader in the digital age. Through personalised consumer experiences and data-driven strategies, the company ensures that its products remain "an arm's reach of desire," fulfilling the vision set by Robert Woodruff several decades ago.
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