The author expresses their disappointment and frustration with Coca-Cola’s 2023 Christmas commercial, which utilizes AI-generated imagery. They compare their feeling of carrying this disappointment, like ”the last drop of Julmust,” acknowledging the commercial’s nature as an annual advertising campaign and a form of American cultural imperialism. Despite this understanding, they usually find a certain aesthetic appreciation in the logistical spectacle of the brightly decorated trucks, comparing it to the grandeur of Martin Scorsese’s ”The Irishman” in its portrayal of a complex industry. However, this year’s departure from traditional filmmaking and embrace of AI has shattered this appreciation, leaving the author feeling disillusioned. The commercial’s tagline, ”Real magic,” is perceived as ironic and provocative, given the artificial nature of AI-generated content. The author’s anger is somewhat mitigated by the continued presence of the festively decorated trucks, representing a glimmer of hope for the holiday season.
The core of the author’s critique lies in the perceived conflict between the essence of Christmas magic and the artificiality of AI. Christmas, in its traditional sense, evokes feelings of warmth, human connection, and genuine emotion. The author seemingly views AI, with its inherent lack of human touch and emotional depth, as a stark contrast to these values. The AI-generated commercial, therefore, represents a betrayal of the Christmas spirit, replacing heartfelt tradition with a manufactured, albeit technically impressive, spectacle. The author’s comparison of the Coca-Cola truck caravan to ”The Irishman” underscores this point. While both represent complex logistical operations, the human element, so central to Scorsese’s film, is absent in the AI-generated advertisement. The film portrays the lives, struggles, and relationships of the characters involved in the trucking industry, adding depth and emotional resonance. The AI-generated commercial, by contrast, lacks this human connection, focusing solely on the visual spectacle.
The author’s use of the phrase ”the last drop of Julmust” is a poignant metaphor for the dwindling hope and diminishing magic associated with the commercial. Julmust, a traditional Swedish Christmas soda, represents comfort, nostalgia, and the familiar warmth of the holiday season. The last drop symbolizes the final remnants of these feelings, threatened by the encroaching artificiality of the AI-generated advertisement. The author’s disappointment is palpable, indicating a deep-seated attachment to the traditional Christmas spirit and a resistance to the perceived intrusion of technology into this sacred space.
The Coca-Cola tagline, ”Real magic,” adds insult to injury. The author interprets this slogan as a direct provocation, highlighting the inherent contradiction between the artificial nature of AI and the authentic magic of Christmas. ”Real magic,” suggests the author, stems from genuine human connection, shared experiences, and heartfelt traditions, not from algorithms and computer-generated imagery. The tagline, therefore, feels disingenuous and ultimately contributes to the author’s disillusionment.
Despite the overwhelming disappointment, a flicker of hope remains in the continued presence of the physically decorated trucks. This tangible element, untouched by the digital brush of AI, serves as a reminder of the traditional Christmas imagery associated with Coca-Cola’s advertising. The trucks, while still part of a large-scale commercial campaign, retain a connection to the real world, a physical presence that contrasts with the intangible nature of the AI-generated content. This small detail offers a sliver of solace, a suggestion that the true spirit of Christmas, though challenged, may not be entirely extinguished.
The author’s reaction to the Coca-Cola advertisement reflects a broader cultural anxiety surrounding the increasing prevalence of AI in creative fields. The ability of AI to generate visually compelling content raises questions about the future of art and the role of human creativity. While AI offers new possibilities and tools for artistic expression, it also raises concerns about the potential loss of authenticity and the devaluation of human artistic skill. The author’s critique can be interpreted as a defense of human creativity and a call for preserving the genuine emotional connection that art provides. The AI-generated commercial, in this context, represents a step towards a future where artistic expression is divorced from human experience, a prospect that the author clearly finds disheartening, particularly within the context of the emotionally charged holiday season.
