Levi’s Christmas advert 2026: a claymation yeti in Let’s Get Fuzzy puts handmade craft first

Levi’s has gone back to clay for its Christmas advert. Let’s Get Fuzzy, a 60-second stop-motion film, follows a snarling yeti called Gus who smashes his way into a snowbound cabin party, only to be calmed by a red sweater that fits him perfectly. The campaign launched globally on 2 November across digital, social and Levi’s stores, and the brand says no AI was used to make the film, as Marketing Dive reported.

The work

The film opens on a remote cabin in a snowy forest, where a group of friends are celebrating. Gus tries the door, then simply runs through the wall. In a panic, one of the guests throws a red sweater at him, and the monster turns into the best-dressed guest at the party. The knitwear in the film is sculpted from pieces in Levi’s holiday collection, which is on sale through Levi.com, the Levi’s app and selected stores.

Levi’s leans into the labour. Each second of animation took about four hours to film, and the sets and characters were made by hand. A short making-of film on the brand’s YouTube channel shows the puppets’ swappable faces, with four for every character. Kenny Mitchell, Levi’s global CMO, called the campaign “the celebration of the craft and human creativity synonymous with the Levi’s brand”.

It is also a nod to the archive. Levi’s says the film calls back to Clayman, its 1995 claymation spot and the brand’s first global commercial. The tone borrows from horror as much as Christmas, which suits a campaign that went live two days after Halloween.

Why it matters

“No AI” has become a selling point this Christmas, and Levi’s is saying it loudly. E.l.f. and Prada have also gone for handmade, stop-motion looks this season, and Marketing Dive points to research suggesting consumers are tiring of AI-generated ads. After a year of brands being caught out by synthetic work, as our guide to AI in advertising shows, visible human effort is now part of the message rather than just the method.

The bigger test is commercial. Levi Strauss reported third-quarter revenue of $1.6bn, up 4%, but chief executive Michelle Gass admitted the back-to-school campaign did not drive the demand the business hoped for, and said marketing investment would deepen. A charming monster in a jumper is a strong fit for a brand whose best advertising, from Launderette onwards, has always put the product at the centre of the story.

Levi’s is also playing in a crowded week. Most of the big UK retailers launch their Christmas films in early November, as our Christmas ad playbook explains, and a minute of clay animation will need to cut through a lot of sentiment. Gus has a head start: he is funny, he is tactile, and he is wearing the product.

See every UK Christmas advert of 2026 so far, with the films, updated as each one launches.