AI Ads Trigger Backlash: Here's What Research Says Leaders Can Do

Coca-Cola used AI in holiday advertising, creating an AI video campaign in 2024 and a new AI campaign in 2025. Consumer reactions were mixed, with negative responses driven less by perceived AI quality and more by a mismatch between a brand’s deep emotional associations and technology that feels impersonal. Brand size and recognition did not prevent mockery and anger. Research using experimental scenarios found that companies using AI to create ads were perceived less favorably than companies not described as using AI. Responsible leadership, such as disclosing AI use and creating positive social impact, buffered these negative reactions and improved consumer evaluations.

"To explore what factors might buffer this aversion, another variable was introduced: responsible leadership. The idea was that companies that are shown to act for the greater good, in ways that benefit the broader community such as by disclosing their AI use or creating positive social impact, would be protected from these negative consumer reactions to AI content."

"In a series of four experimental studies led by Swinburne University of Technology's Professor Sean Sands, half of participants were given scenarios about a coffee company who engaged a new creative ad agency that uses AI technology to create content. The other half's scenario did not mention AI creation. Unsurprisingly, responders perceived the AI using company less favorably, indicating strong AI content aversion."

"Taking a deeper look, consumers were not reacting to the quality of the AI content. It was more about the mismatch between a brand that has invoked deep emotional associations with consumers over time and a technology that feels impersonal. Size and brand recognition did not buffer the mockery and anger that these ads elicited."

"If your company is considering using AI, take note of these three evidence-based recommendations from recent research on AI-advertising aversion and how to reduce it. Leadership Is The Missing Ingredient"

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