I’ve cleaned up more glossy-backlash messes than I care to admit – and one thing always holds true: campaigns that show the humans, the process, and the stakes ride out storms.
Coca-Cola just gave us a timely case study.
Their 2025 “Holidays Are Coming” ad went full GenAI. Red trucks, polar bears, festive animals – all rendered by Secret Level and Silverside AI.
Fewer humans on the crew. Better tech. Positive test results.
The wider world called it “soulless.” The creative community revolted.
Here’s where they miscalculated - and why it matters to you:
They optimised for production speed and forgot their product is actually nostalgia.
The warmth. The memory of childhood Christmases. That fuzzy feeling you can’t fake.
When you remove the human fingerprints from something built entirely on emotional connection… people notice.
As a former business journalist, I’ve watched brands do this dance for years.
The spreadsheet says faster. The board says cheaper. The audience says meh.
Because what makes marketing real isn’t polish – it’s presence.
If your brand ever starts to look too perfect, too frictionless, or too optimised, it might be time to put some fingerprints back on it.
Show the people. Show the process. Show the stakes.
That’s what we connect with. That’s what we trust. That’s what endures when the AI snow melts.