Despite complaints last year over the use of AI for its Christmas season TV commercials, Coca-Cola, the Real Thing, is doubling down on the Un-Real Thing.
The AI-generated depiction of Santa fails to capture the charm of the classic Coke paintings by Haddon Sundblom that defined the look of the character.
Sundblom also painted the second Mrs. Claus.
I never even heard of the Spielberg movie! And I used to read Tintin in French class.
Spielberg’s “Tintin” movie had the same strange look as “The Polar Express”.
Speaking of our favorite disc jockey, remember “The Polar Express” a few years back? I believe it was motion capture and CGI but also evoked the dark Christmas Eve feeling of the AI Coke ad you’ve posted.
Still, both examples are so sharp and hyper-real they are downright soulless. The Coke spot is creepy. At least “Polar” had lovable Tom. Your remark about AI Santa lacking warmth is spot on.
Say, how about a ripped, unclothed young Santa for the ladies? “Don’t eat, Papa! Don’t eat!”