Dr Pepper’s new ad shows why humans still matter in 2026
The ad is built around a viral TikTok jingle created spontaneously by a real person is playful and joyful.
@romeosshow @Dr Pepper please get back to me with a proposition we can make thousands together. #drpepper #soda #beverage ♬ original sound - Romeo
The ad’s success highlights how people respond to work they know was created by a human. A large study analysed by Harvard Business School and other institutions found that AI-generated ads can perform just as well as human-made ones if viewers cannot tell they were created by a machine. When an ad looks obviously machine-made, engagement and emotional connection drop sharply, even if it is technically perfect. Perception matters more than reality.
Industry leaders are noticing the same trend. Gail Schimmel, CEO of the Advertising Regulatory Board, wrote in Bizcommunity that 2026 could be the year the shine starts to fade on AI in advertising. She said people are beginning to realise that AI work is often tone-deaf or off-putting, even if they can’t say exactly why.
An article in The Conversation notes that some brands are now promoting human-made campaigns as a selling point. From packaging to ads, audiences respond better to content that feels real and relatable — qualities AI struggles to consistently reproduce.
Dr Pepper’s commercial shows that people love it when a real person is behind an ad. The rhythm, energy, and personality feel natural, not manufactured. Even though most ads are still created by humans, audiences perhaps respond more strongly when authenticity is clear.
This isn’t a call to abandon AI or suggest it’s replacing humans (particularly in Africa). Rather, it’s a reminder that the best advertising still comes from real people.
