Coca-Cola’s AI-generated Christmas ad sparked a whirlwind of reactions online. While some embraced the innovation, many criticized it, saying it lacked emotional depth, looked strange, and fell short of capturing the true Christmas spirit. Fair points—but here’s the real question: does this ad, despite its flaws, have untapped potential?

At alpha.one, we don’t stop at criticism—we focus on solutions. So, we asked ourselves: What tweaks could transform this ad, preserving its theme while making it more engaging and enjoyable? Here’s what we came up with!

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Step 1: Upload the ad on junbi.ai

To pinpoint the problem, we uploaded the ad to junbi.ai for a detailed breakdown. The platform segmented the ad into three key scores alongside an overall score. The result? An overall score of just 22 out of 100. That places the ad in the 22nd percentile of all YouTube ads—a far cry from Coca-Cola’s reputation as a marketing powerhouse. For a brand known for iconic campaigns, such a low score doesn’t reflect their usual standard of excellence. Clearly, something wasn’t working here.

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Step 2: Analyze the scores and graphs

Ad Breakthrough Score: A Poor 13

Let’s break down what went wrong, starting with the ad breakthrough score. With a score of just 13, the ad struggled to stand out from the noise. Competing against countless distractions—your surroundings, YouTube recommendations, and comments—an ad needs a strong breakthrough score to grab and hold attention. Unfortunately, this one didn’t make the cut.

The issue? The ad felt overly drawn out with repetitive visuals and awkward animations. Long, meandering scenes featuring squirrels, polar bears, deer, and the seemingly endless journey of Coca-Cola trucks made the ad feel stretched and dull.

The frame-by-frame analysis graph highlights this clearly. The ad began with a steep dip in the breakthrough score, signaling an attention-lacking opening. Repeated low points appeared during scenes of long truck routes and animals, particularly those with aerial views and unclear focal points—see images 2 and 3.

In contrast, the graph's peaks occurred during close-up, focused shots—see images 4 and 5. These moments of clarity show how sharp, engaging visuals can maintain attention and, in turn, improve the ad’s breakthrough score. It’s a lesson in crafting tighter, more visually compelling narratives that resonate with the audience.

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Brand Attention Score: A Mixed Bag 60

When it comes to brand attention, Coca-Cola scored a respectable 60. The iconic red color, Coca-Cola trucks, and glimpses of the classic bottle all contributed to solid brand presence. But for a brand of Coca-Cola’s stature, is “good enough” really enough?

Big brands have an advantage—it’s often easier to recall who’s behind the ad. But even they can optimize for stronger brand attention with a few simple tweaks. As we always say, displaying your brand name both at the start and end of the ad is one of the easiest ways to boost recall.

In this case, Coca-Cola’s ad opened with a generic nature scene, completely devoid of branding. Without a logo or hint of the product, viewers might have skipped or overlooked it entirely, not realizing it was a Coca-Cola ad. Starting with a recognizable logo or branding cue could have instantly captured attention, especially from fans who associate the brand with their favorite drink.

Additionally, keeping a subtle logo on screen throughout the ad doesn’t hurt; it only reinforces brand recognition. These small yet impactful changes could have significantly boosted the brand attention score, ensuring Coca-Cola's ad left a stronger impression.

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Cognitive Ease Score: A Chilly 28

When it came to cognitive ease, this AI-generated ad scored a frosty 28. A quick look at the frame-by-frame graph reveals a cascade of sharp downward peaks—as pointed as icicles. While it might match Coca-Cola’s winter theme, these steep drops in engagement are the last thing you want in an ad.

So, what went wrong? First, there were far too many abrupt scene changes. Jumping from animals to trucks to humans overloaded viewers, forcing them to constantly piece the narrative together. This cognitive juggling act detracts from the overall experience.

Second, the visuals were often cluttered. Aerial shots of entire cities, packed frames with Christmas lights, decorations, Coca-Cola trucks, and herds of deer—it was sensory overload. While advertisers might think these elements add excitement, the data tells a different story: they confuse and distract the audience.

Simplifying the ad by cutting unnecessary scenes and reducing clutter would have made it far easier to follow and much more engaging. Sometimes, less truly is more, especially when aiming for a clear, digestible message.

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Step 3: Edit the ad

Does this analysis really make a difference?

It’s easy to critique, but the real test lies in results. So, we didn’t just talk—we took action. By making the simplest tweaks to the Coca-Cola ad, we transformed its performance. With a few strategic edits—trimming scenes and placing the brand logo in key spots—we boosted the overall score from a mere 22 to an impressive 82. Proof that tiny tweaks can lead to big changes.

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Here’s what we did:

1. Made the Brand Name Shine:
We introduced the Coca-Cola logo right at the start of the ad, immediately grabbing attention and anchoring viewers to the brand. This simple change significantly improved both the brand attention and ad breakthrough scores, as seen in the updated frame-by-frame graphs below. Additionally, we kept the logo subtly displayed in the lower right corner throughout the ad, which skyrocketed the brand attention score to an incredible 95.

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2. Simplified the Narrative:
We trimmed unnecessary scenes to make the ad shorter and more focused. For example, we removed the polar bear scene at the beginning and shortened the overly long truck journey. While maintaining the festive vibe, we reduced clutter by cutting a few aerial shots while keeping enough to retain the Christmasy, winter theme.

These edits made the ad more digestible, improving its cognitive ease score. The updated graph shows far fewer dips, indicating a smoother and more engaging viewing experience.

The result? A polished ad that not only scored better but also felt more captivating and aligned with Coca-Cola’s iconic branding.

Conclusion

Our simple edits kept the original theme intact but made a world of difference. Imagine if Coca-Cola had used junbi’s analysis before going live—perhaps the ad would have garnered far more positive attention.

Creating a fully AI-generated ad is undeniably bold and showcases how far technology has come. While it doesn’t yet capture the emotional depth of traditional advertising, every experiment is a step toward innovation.

AI-generated ads have a long way to go in becoming universally accepted and relatable, but progress is built on trial and error. Coca-Cola’s leap into this uncharted territory deserves recognition. Their bold move is paving the way for a new era in advertising. Kudos to them for pushing boundaries and inspiring what’s possible in the future of AI-driven creativity. 

If you liked this blog, we did a similar thing with Samsung’s ad. Go check it out to gain more insights on the little tweaks that can change your ad game.