Holiday Coke ad creator defends AI animation, says it’s “no different” from traditional filmmaking

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So, I’ve been following the buzz around Coca-Cola’s new holiday ad, and the person who made it is defending it. Basically, they’re saying that even though AI was used, it wasn’t like robots took over! A ton of real artists and traditional animation methods were still super important in bringing it to life. It’s cool to see they didn’t just rely on the AI to do everything.

Jason Zada, who leads the AI studio Secret Level, created the popular Coca-Cola ad you may have seen recently. His team used artificial intelligence to animate the ad, which shows animals from around the world and a Santa Claus character. The AI-generated Santa was designed using old Coca-Cola artwork as inspiration.

Similar to last year, the advertisement has received criticism from illustrators, animators, and writers. They argue the brand is using AI to replace human jobs and reuse existing creative work.

The ad has faced criticism from several creators, including Alex Hirsch (writer for Gravity Falls), concept artist Reid Southen, and illustrator Karla Ortiz, who have asked people to stop supporting it. Some also pointed out similarities between the ad’s animated animals and those in Disney’s Zootopia.

Zada says critics misunderstand the role of human artists

Zada told The Hollywood Reporter that viewers are misunderstanding how the commercial was made. He emphasized that human creativity was still central to its production.

Zada explained that the project was a team effort involving 20 people. He highlighted the fact that the characters were designed and animated entirely by hand, a level of detail he believes often goes unnoticed by viewers. He emphasized that the process was similar to traditional filmmaking, requiring much more than simply recording dialogue and using computer commands.

He disagreed with the notion that generative AI will replace artists. Instead, he explained that it helps speed up the creative process, letting studios and brands produce more ad variations and longer-form content without increasing costs. He also noted that AI empowers smaller teams to handle large animation projects that would usually take months to complete.

Zada understood worries about people losing jobs, but he drew a parallel to the start of digital visual effects, suggesting that new ways of working will actually create more possibilities for creatives. He also highlighted the success of the Oscar-winning film Flow as proof that smaller teams can thrive even without relying on big studio systems.

Coke’s AI holiday ads accepted by consumers

In 2024, Coca-Cola was an early adopter of AI-generated ads, releasing one for the holidays. This sparked debate, with some artists claiming the company was avoiding hiring traditional animators. According to Zada, public response was varied, but many people weren’t concerned with how the ad was made.

He thinks people are now more used to AI, so the technology doesn’t seem as surprising. He says their latest advertisement performed well in testing because viewers responded positively to its cheerful mood and scenes of animals from around the world.

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2025-11-19 21:19