The holiday season is upon us, which means it’s time for ugly yet somehow still desirable sweaters, gloriously geeky gifts for friends and loved ones, and of course, a tsunami of hokey retail advertisements that will break upon the fortress of our wallets like water on rock. But the advertisement below made for John Lewis, the chain of high-end department stores in the UK, is definitely worth your undivided attention. Not only did it cost $9 million to make, but it was also directed by Oscar-winning writer-director Michel Gondry.
Laughing Squid picked up on the John Lewis commercial, which is this year’s addition to a series of surprisingly touching holiday advertising campaigns that are put on annually by the retail giant. Previous years have included Buster the Boxer, Monty the Penguin, and The Journey, which featured two snow-people that fall in love, and end up warming your heart with their cold, blizzard-tested commitment to each other.
This year’s commercial, titled Moz the Monster, features an adorable kid who finds an even more adorable monster under his bed, leading to a bad case of insomnia. The monster, Moz, looks like he wouldn’t be out of place in the live-action Where the Wild Things Are movie, and the vibe of the whole story feels reminiscent of Monsters Inc. And although the advert (it is British!) may not feel as visually distinctive as something like Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind or one of Gondry’s music videos, there are still elements unique to his style here–Moz’s snoring the toys out from beneath the bed, for example. Plus there’s that amazing track (The Beatles’ “Golden Slumbers” covered by Elbow) that carries the whole story.
John Lewis also put up a short behind-the-scenes video that gives a little glimpse into how the commercial was made. Try not to be totally heartbroken that Moz is actually just two guys in a suit.
If you want a Moz plush of your very own, you can get one (and other Moz merch) from John Lewis; a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Barnardo’s Children’s Charities.
What do you think about this commercial? Could you tell it was directed by Gondry from the first frame? Give us your thoughts in the comments below!
Images: John Lewis
Stay in the holiday spirit with these stories!
- Die Hard has been adapted into a Christmas book.
- Cuddle with ThinkGeek’s scare bear.
- Sip on Christmas cake-flavored Pepsi.
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