Coca-Cola's AI Christmas ad is the most talked about on social - here's what PR can learn
Coca-Cola's AI-generated Christmas ad topped social conversation. The buzz is real. The reaction is split.
That combination - huge reach with mixed sentiment - is exactly where smart comms teams win or lose. Treat it like a stress test for your strategy, not just a headline.
Why it caught fire
- Novelty at scale: A heritage brand using AI draws attention fast.
- Polarizing visuals: "Uncanny" details trigger comments, jokes, and debates.
- Jobs narrative: Audiences link AI to creative layoffs - emotions run hot.
- Cultural icon: Santa + AI = instant scrutiny on tradition vs. tech.
- Algorithm fuel: Controversy boosts shares and stitches, which boosts reach.
The upside and the cost
High conversation volume drives awareness, search, and creator remixes. It can also dent trust if people feel the work lacks craft or transparency.
"Most talked about" is only a win if favorability doesn't crater, and if you can convert attention into brand lift and sales.
Plan AI-heavy campaigns without getting burned
- Start with the why: Explain why AI fits the story (imagination, scale, accessibility). Don't hide it.
- Set disclosure rules: Add a clear line in the film description and press notes on how AI was used.
- Hard QA on visuals: Run a human "uncanny check" for hands, eyes, lighting, text artifacts. Fix before launch.
- Pre-test sentiment: Small dark-post tests to gauge reactions and identify hot buttons.
- Seed the narrative early: Provide creators with behind-the-scenes assets so the first wave explains the craft, not just dunks on it.
- Safety and credits: Confirm training data compliance and credit human artists and agencies involved.
- Mix the medium: Pair AI shots with live action or practical builds to ground the look.
- Escalation triggers: Define thresholds (e.g., net sentiment, press tone) that prompt edits, replies, or a creative pivot.
Measurement that actually matters
- Share of Voice (SOV): Your slice of holiday chatter vs. category.
- Net sentiment: Positive minus negative. Track daily and by platform.
- Topic themes: Uncanny visuals, job fears, nostalgia - tag them and act.
- Creator echo: Number and quality of creator remixes; are top voices for or against?
- Save rate and shares: Better signals than raw views.
- Brand lift: Ad recall, favorability, and purchase intent vs. baseline.
- Cost per positive reach: Paid plus organic, weighted to positive exposure.
Week-one war room (simple playbook)
- Day 0-1: Publish main film + BTS explainer. Brief spokespeople with three talking points and one "we heard you" line.
- Day 2-3: Release shorter edits that reduce the most criticized shots. Respond with facts, not defensiveness.
- Day 4-5: Boost creator content that lands the intended message. Pause spend behind formats driving negative comments.
- Day 6-7: Publish a human-led extension (e.g., live activation, charity tie-in) to rebalance sentiment.
Message angles that work
- "AI as assist, people in charge:" Make it clear humans led the idea, taste, and QC.
- Craft still matters: Show storyboards, live shoot days, and the post pipeline. Audiences respect process.
- Credit creators: Name the artists and production partners. It reduces "you replaced us" comments.
- Invite participation: Turn critique into co-creation with a prompt or template people can play with.
Policy and transparency
Set a simple, public AI policy for brand communications: what you use, what you won't, and how you disclose it. Clear standards protect reputation and speed approvals.
If you work in the UK, review advertising guidance and keep your legal team close. The Advertising Standards Authority regularly updates expectations around ad content and claims. See their guidance here.
Team skills and tools
If your comms team is building AI into creative and content ops, upskilling pays off fast: better prompts, fewer "uncanny" outputs, and tighter QA.
Useful starting point: AI training for marketing pros and PR teams - curated courses and certifications are listed here.
Bottom line
Attention is easy. Net positive attention is hard. If you plan for the debate, disclose the process, and keep humans front-and-center, AI-led creative can scale reach without torching goodwill.
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