Moz the Monster - John Lewis Christmas Advert - Discussion Questions

Moz the Monster – Discussion Questions for English Classes

It’s time for the annual John Lewis Christmas advert and this year the story is about a young boy and his friendship with a big blue creature called Moz the Monster. Watch the short film and discuss the questions below with a partner or group:

  1. What is the advert promoting?
  2. What kind of store is John Lewis? Have you ever been there? If not, would you like to shop there? Why? / Why not?
  3. Tell the story – what happens? What is the problem? How does it get resolved?
  4. What is the purpose of the film? How successful is it?
  5. Why is there a monster in the film?
  6. Why is the monster called Moz?
  7. What is the significance of light in the film?
  8. Is it right to get excited about a commercial from John Lewis at Christmas?
  9. Is Moz real? If not, what does he represent?
  10. What is the song called and who sings it?
  11. How well do the lyrics of the song relate to the film?
  12. Being afraid that there’s a ‘monster under the bed’ is a standard theme in children’s literature and culture in the UK. Do you have this tradition, or something similar / different in your culture?
  13. How well does the advert represent the spirit of Christmas?
  14. How could the advert be improved?
  15. Describe this advert in five words.
  16. How far do you agree with this analysis of the film from two YouTube commenters: ‘The little boy is scared of the dark. This results in him imagining the monster. When the light is on, the monster goes because the boy is not scared anymore.’ / ‘The monster really likes playing with the boy, but it’s making the boy too tired. So the monster sacrifices his own happiness to make sure the boy sleeps at night.’
  17. Are you moved by this advert? Why? If not, why not?
  18. In what way(s) is the advert ‘Christmassy’? In what way(s) is it secular? Is it more secular than Christmassy, or vice versa?
  19. Are you offended by this advert? If yes, explain why.
  20. What is the connection between capitalism and Christmas?
  21. Is Christmas too commercialised?
  22. Have you done all your Christmas shopping yet? Will / would you use John Lewis?
  23. Were you afraid of the dark as a child? If yes, how did you get over your fear of the dark?
  24. Did you have an imaginary friend as a child? If yes, tell me about it. What purpose do imaginary friends serve?
  25. How will kids react to the film? How will parents’ reactions differ? Why?
  26. What special Christmas adverts do you remember?
  27. Should a new advert be an event?
  28. Why don’t we see even one shot of a John Lewis store in the film?
  29. Is a monster a right and proper symbol for a traditional Christmas story?

…and finally!

30. Does the advert succeed in getting you to spend money at John Lewis?

Image courtesy: http://johnlewispresscentre.com/imagelibrary