Should Non-Chocolate Calendars Advent-ure into Christmas?
As the season of Advent is upon us, we’ve embarked on an advent-ure of our own: discovering which advent calendars consumers will be snapping up this December.
Will quirky calendars for tea lovers and biscuiteers take centre stage, or will premium jewellery calendars steal the spotlight as we countdown to Christmas Day? One thing is certain—consumers are truly spoilt for choice.
What started as simple numbered doors hiding chocolate treats has transformed into a commercial phenomenon. Advent calendars now span every category imaginable. According to Statista, in 2023, 30% of advent calendars were non-chocolate, ranging from toys to beer. While chocolate still reigns supreme, making up 70% of calendar doors, beauty and cosmetics calendars have seen a significant rise, accounting for 17% of sales last year.
Last year, advent calendar openings became a viral sensation, with the notable Chanel advent calendar driving significant online buzz. Audiences eagerly followed influencers as they revealed the daily prizes and flocked to the comments to share their opinions. But how far will these viral, attention-grabbing calendars extend into consumers’ everyday lives? Is the demand for niche calendars as high as we imagine, or should brands consider returning to the basics?
Meanwhile, in our very own AD-vent calendar, we’re looking forward to opening drawer after drawer of festive fluent devices. But let’s just say, this one might not have quite the same sparkle with shoppers.
Calendars vs Consumers
As Andrew Tindall recently highlighted in his article for The Drum, titled “The People v the Turkey [of the week”, in marketing, the consumer’s opinion is the one that matters most. That’s why we turned to the consumer to find out which advent calendar would be crowned their favourite this festive season!
Using System1’s Test Your Innovation platform, we harnessed the predictive power of consumer emotions to assess the in-market sales potential of various advent calendars. With a rating scale from 1.0 to 5.9 stars, Test Your Innovation quantifies emotional responses, offering a clear benchmark for evaluating product ideas, taglines, slogans, and other concepts. Here’s how we assessed the contenders:
- Emotional Pull: Using our FaceTrace® tool, we measured emotional resonance to determine how effectively each calendar connects with consumers on a personal level.
- Share Trading: We gauged consumers’ willingness to “buy” or “sell” the idea, providing key insights into their purchasing behaviours and preferences.
- Decision Speed: We measured how quickly and instinctively consumers engaged with each calendar idea. Fast reactions were positively weighted, while slower responses were penalised, offering a nuanced view of consumer enthusiasm and spontaneous engagement.
Will chocolate or novelty take centre stage this year? Let’s dive into our Christmas Calendar Countdown and find out!
On the third day of Christmas, consumers said to me…
Three stars for Lindt’s Giant Calendar and a touch of Charlotte Tilbury!
Yes, you read that right—we’re celebrating not one, but two advent calendars tied for third place this season, both achieving a solid 3-Star rating! Lindt’s 6ft tall chocolate advent calendar (US) and Charlotte Tilbury’s Beauty Calendar (UK) have both earned a well-deserved spot in the festive spotlight.
Let’s start with Lindt, which scored a 3.5 Star rating from US audiences. This 5ft tall chocolate lover’s dream, stocked in Costco, was the top-performing advent calendar in the US, with over 50% of consumers absolutely loving the idea. The Lindt brand was recognised as a winning formula, with most reactions centred around the “high quality” associated with the brand. There was some mild pushback from a few overwhelmed consumers, who questioned how they could possibly get through that much chocolate before Christmas, but on the whole, the response was overwhelmingly positive. That’s one point for chocolate!
The sheer size of this calendar has made it a viral sensation, with consumers flocking to Costco to measure the towering calendar in real life. If Lindt was aiming for distinctiveness, they’ve certainly succeeded! It seems that, in the US at least, this oversized calendar is being enjoyed by families rather than individuals, adding an extra element of shared festive fun.
In the UK, audiences are eager to sparkle this Christmas, with Charlotte Tilbury’s 12-drawer beauty calendar claiming third place with 3.8 stars. Consumer feedback highlights it as a female favourite, a creative and exciting product that’s sure to give chocolate calendars a run for their money. That’s one point for non-traditional calendars – it’s a hit with consumers, with some even requesting a bigger size!
The score so far…
Chocolate (1) / Novelty (1)
On the second day of Christmas, consumers said to me…
Hot chocolate sachets, not tea!
Star Rating: 5.2
Coming in at number 2 with an exceptional star rating is Hotel Chocolat’s Velvetiser Hot Choccy Calendar – ranking well ahead of tea calendars this year. It’s clear which beverage we’ll be enjoying this winter! This hot product perfectly taps into the 80:20 (80% familiar/20% new) rule for successful innovation, as outlined by John Kearon in his book System1: Unlocking Profitable Growth. It combines the familiarity of traditional chocolate advent calendars (80% familiar) with the twist of hot chocolate (20% new) – evoking just the right amount of surprise to spark consumer intrigue, without feeling too unconventional.
Decadent, luxurious, and a “refreshing change from the usual chocolate advent calendars,” you can practically feel mouths watering in the consumer feedback!
It’s a clever move from Hotel Chocolat, who, with this calendar, are not only re-engaging current owners of their Velvetiser but also encouraging new customers to make a purchase. A smooth move from this velvety smooth chocolate brand! While it’s a chocolate product, it strays just far enough from the traditional to secure its spot in our novelty rankings.
Chocolate (1) / Novelty (2)
On the first day of Christmas, consumers said to me…
In the UK, Lindt’s calendar gets a 5.3!
Star Rating: 5.3
In first place, Lindt’s giant Costco calendar is back, this time with a 5.3-star rating from chocolate-loving UK audiences, who have no concerns about its size or whether they can manage it – as a choc-loving Brit myself, I can attest. Some eager Brits even want to decorate their homes with this human-sized calendar, although I can’t imagine it being a permanent installation once visitors realise it’s real and not just décor. Much like our US consumer sample, UK households will be savouring this luxurious feast with family – after all, it is the season of sharing!
It’s a Tie!
So there you have it – consumers will be stocking up on both traditional and unconventional calendars this season. The results suggest that, much like 2023, beauty and chocolate-themed calendars will once again reign as festive favourites! As for me, I’ve been inspired to switch on my Velvetiser, set my notifications to ‘do not disturb,’ and cosy up with some weekly listening of the Uncensored CMO podcast, all while sipping on a warm cup of chocolate!
Create with Confidence
With a database of over 54,000 innovations to benchmark against, Test Your Innovation empowers brands to Create with Confidence and launch new innovations. So, which idea (or insect themed ornament) will be your next star? Use Test Your Innovation to predict your winner from an early stage and finetune it throughout the innovation process. We can’t wait to help you bring it to market!
