In February 2023, Coca-Cola announced that it would be collaborating with OpenAI’s DALL-E2 model and ChatGPT for marketing campaigns. It was the first deal with Bain ever since the later had announced a partnership with OpenAI specifically to use its tools for marketing earlier in the year. 

A couple of weeks later, Coca-Cola released an AI-powered campaign, Masterpiece, which has taken the world by storm, showcasing some of the most iconic artworks in history, and doing so with the help of advanced artificial intelligence. This innovative ad tells the story of a Coca-Cola bottle’s journey through some of the most famous paintings and sculptures in the world, as it makes its way to a thirsty student in need of inspiration.

Using a mix of live-action shots, digital effects, and AI, the VFX team at Electric Theatre Collective and creative agency Blitzworks have created a breathtaking commercial that seamlessly transitions between different styles of artwork. The ad features some of the world’s greatest artists, including Utagawa Hiroshige, J.M.W Turner, and Van Gogh, as well as contemporary artists like Aket, Vikram Kushwah, Stefania Tejada, and Fatma Ramadan.

In addition to the two-minute commercial, Coca-Cola’s Masterpiece campaign will also feature 3D billboards and digital collectables. The brand has curated the art used in the advert, as well as interviews with the featured contemporary artists on its Masterpiece Gallery website. South African artist Wonderbuhle, whose work is featured in the ad, says that Coca-Cola reminds him of “joy and coolness”.

Not the first time

It’s not the first time since Coca-Cola has used AI in it’s marketing campaigns. The company has been using AI extensively in its marketing efforts. One area where the company uses AI is in vending machines. Coca-Cola has developed AI algorithms that promote popular drinks and make suggestions to users based on the location of the machine. 

Social media is another area where Coca-Cola uses AI to understand its customers’ preferences and behaviour. Coca-Cola has set up 37 “social centres” that collect and analyse data to generate insights using the Salesforce platform. The company also uses image recognition technology to target potential customers who post pictures online. 

Moreover, Coca-Cola uses AI to secure proof of purchase for its loyalty and reward schemes. The company worked with Google’s TensorFlow technology to develop machine recognition of codes that can often appear differently depending on when and where they are printed.