The creator behind Coca-Cola’s new AI-powered holiday commercial is pushing back against criticism of the campaign, arguing that the process still relies heavily on human artists and traditional animation techniques.
Jason Zada, founder of the AI studio Secret Level, is the mind behind the viral Coke ad. His team created the main version of Coca-Cola’s 2025 “holidays are coming” ad, which uses AI-assisted animation to build a globe-spanning montage of animals and an AI-generated Santa based on archival Coke artwork.
Much like last year’s campaign, the spot has sparked backlash from illustrators, animators, and writers who say the brand is replacing jobs and repurposing existing work through AI systems.
The criticism has included comments from Gravity Falls writer Alex Hirsch, concept artist Reid Southen, and illustrator Karla Ortiz, who called for a boycott. Some creators also compared the ad’s animal animation to Disney’s Zootopia.
Zada says critics misunderstand the role of human artists
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Zada said people are misjudging how the commercial was produced. According to him, human artistry remains “at the core” of the ad.
Zada said the project involved a 20-person team, with hand-drawn character designs and manual animation work that he claims viewers don’t realize. He compared the workflow to traditional filmmaking, saying it’s “not just saying a series of words and pressing buttons.”
He also pushed back on the idea that generative AI replaces artists, arguing that the technology speeds up production timelines, allowing studios and brands to create more variations and longer versions of ads within the same budget. He said AI enables smaller teams to take on large-scale animation projects that would typically take months.
Zada acknowledged concerns about job displacement but compared the debate to the early days of digital visual effects, saying he believes new workflows will ultimately expand creative opportunities. He also pointed to the Oscar-winning indie film Flow as an example of how smaller teams can compete without traditional studio models.
Coke’s AI holiday ads accepted by consumers
Coca-Cola was one of the first major brands to release an AI-generated holiday ad in 2024. That campaign also faced criticism from artists who argued the company was bypassing traditional animation crews. Zada stated that consumer reactions last year were mixed, but said most viewers “don’t really care” about the production method.
He believes consumer familiarity with AI tools has grown over the last year, making the technology less shocking to the general public. According to him, the new spot tested well because audiences liked the upbeat tone and global animal sequences.
