Nostalgia with an algorithm: this is how Coca-Cola updates the magic of Christmas

 

This year's Coca-Cola Christmas campaign combines continuity with its classic imagery (Santa, red trucks, polar bears) and a strong commitment to artificial intelligence and interactive digital experiences. This makes it a very interesting case study to analyze from the perspective of emotional branding, nostalgia management, and technological innovation applied to Christmas marketing.

Campaign context and objectives

For nearly a century, Coca-Cola has been associating its brand with Christmas, from Haddon Sundblom's illustrations in the 1930s to the "Holidays Are Coming" ad and the iconic red trucks of 1995, which have become a true ritual marking the start of the holiday season for many consumers. Recent studies show that a significant percentage of the public perceives that "Christmas is beginning" when they see the Coca-Cola ad or truck, demonstrating the extent to which the campaign is integrated into the contemporary festive imagination. In this context, the central objective of the current campaign is to reinforce this emotional connection, updating the brand's traditional codes with tools such as generative AI and personalized digital experiences, while maintaining the approachable, joyful, and friendly tone that characterizes Coca-Cola during this time of year.

Creative pillars: nostalgia, emotion, and storytelling

The campaign continues to rely on three emotional pillars: nostalgia, togetherness, and Christmas magic. Nostalgia is activated through recognizable visual and auditory elements—the illuminated trucks, the red color palette, the music of “Holidays Are Coming,” the figure of Santa—that evoke positive memories of past Christmases and generate a sense of continuity. This is complemented by a narrative focused on togetherness and kindness, with scenes of families, friends, and communities sharing moments around a Coca-Cola, aligned with recent slogans such as “The World Needs More Santas,” where anyone can embody the spirit of generosity characteristic of this time of year. The brand doesn't simply showcase the product but integrates it into everyday, heartwarming stories, reinforcing its position as a facilitator of Christmas gatherings and traditions.

Technological innovation: AI and digital experiences

The most notable innovation in recent campaigns is the intensive use of artificial intelligence to produce audiovisual pieces and interactive experiences. Coca-Cola has launched AI-generated reinterpretations of its classic advertisement, maintaining the iconic symbols—snowy landscapes, red trucks, and the implied presence of Santa—but with aesthetics and visual resources created using advanced models. This allows for reduced filming costs and increased creative flexibility. Simultaneously, the company has developed digital experiences such as “Create Real Magic,” which allows users to have “conversations” with a virtual Santa and generate personalized content, such as an animated snow globe based on the consumer's own Christmas memories. In this way, the brand moves from one-way communication to a more participatory approach, in which users create compatible content on social media, organically extending the campaign's reach.

Physical activations and social purpose

The campaign isn't limited to the digital realm: it maintains the iconic "Christmas Truck Tour," a tour of different cities featuring the red truck that combines physical experiences, product sampling, and content creation. The events offer games, a photo opportunity with the truck, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar tastings, and merchandise giveaways, reinforcing the brand's experiential nature and its presence on the street. Furthermore, Coca-Cola links the tour to a social cause through collaborations with organizations like FareShare: for every visitor to the truck, the equivalent of a meal is donated, with a goal of up to one million meals, thus integrating the message of Christmas solidarity into a measurable corporate social responsibility action. This combination of spectacle, direct contact, and social contribution helps legitimize the campaign in a context where consumers increasingly demand consistency between emotional messaging and corporate behavior.

Critical assessment and challenges

From a marketing perspective, Coca-Cola's Christmas campaign demonstrates a remarkable ability to balance tradition and innovation. The brand retains the iconic elements that evoke positive memories and associations while experimenting with emerging formats such as generative AI and immersive experiences, allowing it to remain relevant to younger audiences without alienating more traditional consumers. However, the use of AI has generated criticism in some markets, where some consumers perceive a loss of the "human touch" or a potential displacement of creative professionals, posing a reputational challenge that the company must manage with transparency and sensitivity. Even so, indicators of brand awareness, recall, and emotional connection show that Coca-Cola continues to occupy a privileged position in the global Christmas imagination, making its Christmas campaign a prime example of how a mature brand can continue to refresh its storytelling without abandoning its core essence.

Referencias

• Because of Marketing. (2025). How Coca‑Cola’s Branding and Storytelling Defines Christmas Marketing.

• Coca‑Cola Company. (2024). Groundbreaking Digital Experience and Films Fuse Holiday Heritage with Cutting‑Edge AI.

• Coca‑Cola Great Britain. (2024). Holidays Are Coming! Coca‑Cola Christmas Truck Tour 2024.

• Independent. (2025). After its 2024 Christmas disaster, Coca‑Cola is attempting another AI holiday ad