Coca-Cola has unveiled a website where people can create digital art by using artificial intelligence tools and Coke icons, with an eye on selecting the best pieces to adorn billboards in New York and London.

The “Create Real Magic” launch makes Coca-Cola the first company to use the latest versions of DALL-E and ChatGPT to create AI-based artwork, Coca-Cola stated. Last month, Coke announced it had inked a deal with management consultant Bain & Company to explore new ways to enhance the creativity of its marketing through OpenAI, the research and development company behind ChatGPT and DALL-E.

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The platform, at CreateRealMagic.com, allows people to work with some of Coca-Cola's iconic visual assets—such as the contour bottle, its Spencerian script logo and its Santa Claus and Polar Bears figures—to add in their own creativity. Those involved in the campaign include ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, Bain, influencer artists and OpenX, which is WPP's dedicated Coke agency. 

Artwork was also at the center of Coke’s recently launched “Masterpiece” ad,which mixed classic art pieces with digital animation and focused on an iconic Coke bottle.

“Our company is embracing the power of digital in every aspect of our business, and ‘Create Real Magic’ is a way to invite even more people to join us,” Manolo Arroyo, global chief marketing officer for Coca-Cola, said in a press release. “We invite fans of Coca-Cola to experiment and create their own, totally unique AI-based artwork using this innovative new platform.”

As part of a contest running through March 31, creators in the 17 participating countries can submit their artwork to potentially be featured on Coca-Cola billboards in New York’s Times Square and London’s Piccadilly Circus. All participants using the CreateRealMagic.com site are required to sign up with email and mobile phone contacts and their zip codes, giving Coke first-party customer data.

Thirty creators will also be selected to participate in the Real Magic Creative Academy, a three-day creative workshop at Coca-Cola’s headquarters in Atlanta. As part of the launch, Coca-Cola has partnered with global AI artists—Emma Sofija (U.S.), Chris Branch and Paul Parsons (both of Europe) and Ean Hwa Huang (Asia)—who have created custom art using iconic Coca-Cola imagery together with OpenAI technology and Coca-Cola assets.

“This campaign is an opportunity to co-create with artists and fans of Coca-Cola,” Arroyo said. “It’s also just a start to accessing AI’s potential impact in marketing and engaging consumers in ways they haven’t imagined. We can’t wait to see what fans are inspired to create using some of our iconic assets.”   

The Create Real Magic campaign is the latest expression of Coca-Cola’s “Real Magic” global brand philosophy, which the company introduced in 2021.