Coca Cola AI holiday ad sparks backlash | JQJO

Coca-Cola's new AI holiday spot has reignited backlash from artists and writers, echoing last year's furor. Robert King likened it to Zootopia, Reid Southen called it stupid ugly trash, Karla Ortiz urged a boycott, and Alex Hirsch mocked executive remarks. Director Jason Zada of Secret Level defended the work, citing a 20 person team, hand drawn designs, an AI Santa built from archival Coca-Cola art, and faster production in under a month. He argues AI boosts creativity, enables multiple versions, and meets brand timelines, adding that consumers are more familiar and largely indifferent.