…Coca-Cola sets pace
The digital world is changing fast as generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) and evolving social media transform online behavior, how people access information, and how brands connect with audiences.
The influence of AI is growing stronger, fundamentally altering the way people interact with online content and how brands make their digital footprint.
Nothing shows how mainstream the use of generative AI has become more than Google’s incorporation of AI-generated answers at the top of search results.
As another festive season draws near, the magic AI can do again is pushed forward.
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For instance, Coca-Cola is sharing its iconic, festive brand assets so that anyone can design bespoke digital holiday cards using the latest AI technology.
Consumers can experiment with the holiday-themed content to make their own shareable holiday cards on CreateRealMagic.com, including Coca-Cola’s cherished depictions of Santa Claus, created by Haddon Sundblom in 1931, and the company’s much-loved family of polar bears, first used by the company in 1993. By sharing these storied assets with consumers – and allowing them to be seen through the prism of new technology – they can be re-discovered by a younger generation.
Pratik Thakar, Coca-Cola’s Global Head of Generative AI, said the company wanted to use this holiday season to create a positive space for people to express their creativity.
The company is leaning into the potential of AI and demonstrating how it, combined with an iconic brand like Coke, can bring people together in the spirit of holiday magic.
“We, at Coca-Cola, are connecting the dots between culture, creativity and technology. The Create Real Magic platform invites consumers to use AI for crafting artwork using iconic creative elements from the Coca-Cola archives. #CreateRealMagic cards are a perfect way for us to celebrate people and the holidays using AI. We are humble but iconic, real yet magical and this latest campaign is a testament of the same.”
The initiative builds on the success of Create Real Magic, the first platform of its kind to combine the capabilities of GPT-4, which produces human-like text from search engine queries, and DALL-E, which produces images based on text. With these AI tools, users will be able to reimagine and share some of the company’s most iconic assets, creating connections across time zones and national boundaries.
“AI presents a unique opportunity to connect with the changing world of digital innovation and, by playing to a cultural moment like the holidays, we can find new, innovative ways for our audience to engage and connect, and to continue to learn in this space,” said Selman Careaga, President, Global Coca-Cola Category.
Paul Parsons, UK Creative Director is just one of the creators to explore the capabilities of Create Real Magic. He says, “I’m all about using design to entertain and inform, and AI has opened up endless possibilities that allow me to do both. Having access to some of the most recognized holiday iconography and being able to put my own spin on it, with no limits, has been amazing. I can’t wait to share my take of the Coca-Cola holiday card.”
This holiday season, people from around the world can visit CreateRealMagic.com and generate artwork to share with family and friends as a holiday card. Coca-Cola will also feature consumer created artwork on its digital billboards throughout the world such as New York’s Times Square and London’s Piccadilly Circus.
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This year’s global festive campaign comes to life in many forms and will be adapted by more than 80 markets worldwide. The unifying theme is the magic of kindness and the spirit of generosity and goodwill in us all.
This narrative extends across all channels – from the TV ad, to physical experiences with the iconic Coca-Cola Christmas Caravan tour and local charitable partnerships, to digital initiatives like the ‘Create Real Magic’ AI Christmas Card generator and the ‘Find Your Inner Santa’ quiz, as well as two upcoming Christmas short films.
