Set to a cover version of The Beatles’ song “Golden Slumbers,” recorded by British band Elbow, this two minute Xmas ad for John Lewis tells a heartwarming story of a little boy called Joe, who is kept awake by a 7-foot-tall imaginary Monster called Moz who is living under his bed. The two form a friendship and play together every evening, but staying awake through the night starts to take its toll on Joe, who can hardly keep his eyes open during the day.  For Christmas, Joe receives the perfect gift of a night light which helps him finally get some peace and quiet from Moz, and a good night’s sleep. Just as you think the ad has come to a close, Joe turns the light back off and hears the familiar rumblings of his friend and is reminded that he can bring Moz back any time he thinks of him. 

Moz The Monster was created by advertising agency adam&eveDDB and was directed by Michel Gondry of Partizan. 

Gondry said; “When I told my ex girlfriend I was doing the next John Lewis Christmas film she said: You have big shoes to fill, this John Lewis commercial must make people cry, don’t forget.  Last week I showed it to her and she cried. Phew.”

The spot made its TV debut, is on johnlewis.com, social media channels and in John Lewis department stores across the U.K.

In addition to watching the advert people will be able to enjoy Moz and the story in a number of different ways.  At the John Lewis flagship shop on Oxford Street visitors will be able to see and hear what’s thought to be the world’s first farting and snoring window as Moz plays in the rooms in Joe’s house. 

On Facebook  people will be able to have fun “mozifying” their face using their Facebook camera, and in 10 shops customers will be able to create their own monster selfie at a Monster Maker station. 

A recording of actress Sally Phillips reading the Moz The Monster story will be available for download from johnlewis.com, Sky boxes and Google Home. Google Home customers will also be able to personalize their story choosing their own sound effects. 

This Christmas John Lewis has chosen Barnardo’s as its charity partner and will make a donation to the charity from the sale of Moz cuddly toys and mugs. 

Credits

Client John Lewis Agency adam&eveDD, London Ben Priest, group chief creative officer; Richard Brim, chief creative officer; Patrick McClelland, copywriter; Feargal Balance, art director; Russell Taylor, producer; Raluca Anastasiu, assistant producer. Production Partizan Michel Gondry, director; Jenny Beckett, exec producer; David Stewart, producer; Richard Wilson, production manager; Tim Maurice Jones, DP; Andrew Kelly, production designer. Modelmaking Millenium FX Postproduction/VFX The Mill Alex Fitzgerald, VFX exec producer; Imogen Pai, production coordinator; Milo Paterson, Sam Driscoll, VFX shoot supervisors; Neil Davies, VFX exec creative director; Jorge Monteil, creative director; Gianluca Di Marco, 2D lead aratist; Sam Driscoll, 3D lead artist; Milo Paterson, Theajo Dharan, Stefan Susemihl, Lucas Carracedo, Gary Driver, James Pratt, 2D artists; Josh Curtis, Robert Moore, Maria Carriedo, Jack Powell, Will Burdett, Clement Granjon, Daniel Kmet, Perrine Renard, Andrew Bartholomew, Margaux Huneau, Vaclav Cizkovsky, Tony Atherton, Maxime Cronier, Jesus Parra, Peter Agg, Joshua Barlow, Philip Maddock, Pavel Mimichev, 3D artists; Seamus O’Kane, colorist. Music “Golden Slumbers” by The Beatles, performed by Elbow. Music Supervision Leland Music Abi Leland, Ed Beilie, music supervisors. Sound Factory Anthony Moore, sound design & mix; Jack Hallett, audio book sound design & mix. Editorial Whitehouse Post Russell Icke, editor.

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