Coca-Cola Leverages AI to Reshape Marketing Strategy Across Europe
Coca-Cola is embracing artificial intelligence as a core pillar of its creative and marketing strategy across Europe, signalling a broader shift in how major FMCG players are approaching brand engagement. The company now considers AI-generated content as part of its advertising norm, following successful early activations and global interest in generative AI technologies.
James Williams, Vice-President of Marketing for Coca-Cola Europe, confirmed that after early experiments with Adidas and OpenAI-backed Creative Platform, AI has become embedded within the brand’s creative operations. This signals a meaningful evolution in the brand’s marketing narrative, blending technology with cultural moments at scale.
“AI is now integrated into our creative workstream. It’s not innovation for innovation’s sake—it has to drive real consumer engagement,” Williams stated. The company’s 2023 ‘Create Real Magic’ platform, which invited consumers to co-create with AI tools, informed this approach. One highlight was the AI-powered Wimbledon campaign, which synthesized historical footage and narratives to deliver immersive experiences at live sites.
This strategic shift is tied to broader business goals. Coca-Cola is looking to AI not only to create buzz, but also to drive measurable performance—connecting brand-building more directly to commercial outcomes. With increasing pressure to demonstrate ROI in marketing, the company’s AI efforts emphasize scalable content production and personalization capabilities.
Coca-Cola’s evolving creative framework focuses on “cultural relevance, real-time responsiveness, and utility,” Williams explained. AI plays a vital role in this model by enabling faster content adaptation for different markets while maintaining global consistency across brand messaging—an increasingly important capability in multi-market FMCG operations.
While the brand plans to work with leading creative agencies, its in-house Studio X team will continue pushing AI integration, aiming to balance creative quality with efficiency. However, Williams stresses that creative intuition remains essential. “AI is a tool, not a replacement,” he noted.
For FMCG players, Coca-Cola’s adoption of AI highlights a larger industry trend where brands seek smarter, tech-enabled storytelling to capture consumer attention in saturated markets. As generative AI tools mature, their applications in content development, brand experience, and campaign performance monitoring are set to expand significantly.