Apple's latest TV advert has caused many to compare it directly to Coca Cola's new Christmas spot, with some even branding the tech company's output to be a 'big middle finger' towards the drinks company.
While other companies might always favor efficiency when it comes to its marketing, Apple has always given off the feeling that they'd rather do something the hard way if it meant that it was even a little bit more impressive.
The tech giant became known for its iconic advertising over the years, from the incredibly memorable 'Get a Mac' commercials to the silhouetted images of people dancing alongside an iPod.
It's latest reveal is another classic case of going the extra mile just because they can, as a behind-the-scenes feature shows that the brand new intro logo for Apple TV was made practically and captured in-camera.
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It's a process that most companies would animate digitally – with some even relying on artificial intelligence to do the leg work now – yet there is something so much more impressive about knowing something as simple as this was made by hand, especially with how impressive the finished product turned out to be.
What has made it especially impactful at this current point in time though is the juxtaposition many are pointing out between Apple's handmade feature and Coca Cola's new Christmas ad, which was made using AI for the second year in a row.
The gigantic drinks company has revealed that even fewer people were used in the process of making its ad this year, asserting that "we need to keep moving forward and pushing the envelope [...] The genie is out of the bottle, and you're not going to put it back in."
Additionally, Coca Cola's Head of Generative AI has declared, as per the Hollywood Reporter, that "the haters on the internet are the loudest. A lot of people complaining last year were from the creative industry who were just afraid."
Upon seeing the Apple feature and the Coca Cola ad in close proximity, one user on X asserted: "I don't like either company, but this is potentially the biggest middle finger Coca Cola could possibly receive for generating AI ads."
Effectively, many believe Apple has shown that not only do you not need AI to create great adverts, but that most people actually prefer it if something has been handmade — even if it's as simple as a streaming service's intro splash screen.
It's particularly effective coming after the controversy surrounding Apple's 'Crush' ad spot last year, which saw musical instruments, art supplies, and other creative mediums 'crushed' into an iPad Pro, which many took to reflect the destruction of art in favor of machines — a touchy topic in the wake of AI.
"Well, there's a company that learned from the huge backlash to their 'Crush' ad last year," wrote one reply. "Coca Cola didn't bother to learn the lesson that the general public hates AI. They thought that once the output of unethical models improved, people wouldn't care. But we do."
Another added that the decision to make the streaming intro practically is "especially meaningful since Apple is a computer company that USES/sells AI. It would actually make sense for them to make an ad using their AI because they're in that business.
"Coca Cola has nothing to do with AI, yet they see it as some imperative to use AI? Backwards."