A Marketer’s review into the Best Advent Calendars 2025 — and why they work
What brands can learn for GWP, VAP && gifting from winners in this market
For the past two years, we’ve taken a deep dive into one of the most competitive and creative corners of seasonal marketing: the advent calendar. Once a simple festive countdown traditional, it has now become a multi-million-pound opportunity for brands to shine in the VAP (Value-Added Packaging), GWP (Gift With Purchase), and Gifting spaces.
From luxury beauty houses to artisanal indie brands, advent calendars have evolved into a masterclass in storytelling, brand experience, and consumer relationship building. Each year brings bolder packaging, smarter value strategies, and new ways to turn a moment of daily delight into long-term brand loyalty.
As 2025’s launches hit the shelves, here’s our marketing team’s round up of the best calendars this season, why they stand out, and what brands can learn from their success.
Disruptive Design, Strategic Grounding
Benefit Glam Cube
Benefit’s Rubix Cube-inspired 2025 design is bold and quirky, setting itself apart from the classic premium gift-box style of beauty calendars, and taps into the festive childhood nostalgia of iconic retro toys.
But this isn’t disruption for the sake of it, but rooted in strategic marketing opportunity. Benefit understands that a larger portion beauty advent calendar buyers are not first-time purchases of this premium December treat – they are a luxury spend – so offering something special is key. The cube offers intrigue for new audiences, yet its vibrant, playful aesthetic stays true to Benefit’s brand identity to appeal to core customers too. It’s a clever case study in balancing differentiation with brand consistency.
Over-Deliver Amidst Over-Saturation
Harvey Nichols
The compilation/multi-brand advert calendar market is at peak saturation, from everyone from department stores to editorial magazines throwing their hat in the ring. Brands in this area can’t afford to be giving out sample size or minis anymore – they need to overdeliver, but how can they do this without compromising profit margins?
Harvey Nichols has outshone this year with a focus on perceived value above all. Whilst the direct total cost of products included may not be the highest on the market, a whopping 37 products (including 20 full size), sees it as a jackpot for consumers seeking indulgence.
Studies show that consumers are 47% more likely to buy when value is framed as abundance rather than discount (Capital One, 2025), and by leaning into visual generosity and a sense of “more”, Harvey Nichols taps into the emotional core of Christmas: treating yourself and others.
Gifting Duality and Reusability
Charlotte Tilbury Treasure Chest
Charlotte Tilbury continues to deliver glamour and glitz with this years Treasure Chest - a stunning, gilded jewellery trinket box adorned with gem-like drawer knobs. Beyond its luxurious contents, this packaging also is the product: a beautiful storage box that can be reused long after December ends.
While the calendar only offers 12 drawers compared to many beauty competitors’ 25, it mitigates this potential downfall in straddling the advent and luxury gifting markets. It’s not just a countdown, but a gift as well. Charlotte Tilbury extends the products life and value by reframing to include reusability and dual purpose.
Trend-Led Growth Opportunities
Bird & Blend Matcha Calendar
As an artisan loose leaf tea brand, Bird & Blend could have comfortably stayed in their lane with an classic calendar offering of their favourite tea blends. Yet instead, they leaned into a more niche, but raidly growing and trending area of the market (and one of 2025’s biggest wellness trends) – matcha tea.
In creating a Matcha Advent Calendar, they’ve identified a gateway into a new, younger audience: the matcha-obsessed Gen Z consumer. This demographic may not be their traditional loose leaf tea customer on paper, but with a fun, aesthetic, and trend-driven festive format, it is the perfect opportunity for Bird & Blend to introduce themselves to this cohort as a brand aligned with wellness culture and trends.
Clever Collaboration
Jelly Belly Hogwarts at Christmas
At first glance, Jelly Belly’s Harry Potter: Hogwarts at Christmas advent calendar might look like a simple licensing play, but its effectiveness runs deeper.
The calendar cleverly links its product concept to the fictional world of the films, specifically Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans. Each door reveals both sweets and trivia, turning the unboxing into an interactive, narrative experience. As well as a novelty, this is smart co-branding that harness a modern cultural Christmas ritual (rewatching Harry Potter) with brand and product storytelling.
Outside-the-Box Sale Strategy
M&S Beauty Advent Calendar
The M&S Beauty Advent Calendar is one of the most anticipated each year, not just for its design, but for its clever sales mechanic. This year’s edition, designed in partnership with renowned artist Bella Freud, features whimsical, collectible packaging.
But the real USP lies in the purchase model. The price point is much lower that many other multi-brand beauty calendars, but in order to purchase, you must spend £35 in M&S on home and fashion. In stipulating this, M&S can mitigate potential loses in offering a lower price, but to consumers, this seams like a great deal. The total spend of both the product and condition may not be as cheap, but in giving customers control, this makes them feel more valued by the brand, and hence happy to spend it,
Key Takeaways for Brands in the VAP, GWP, and Gifting Space
- Design disrupts – but must stay authentic. Bold packaging draws eyes, but it’s staying true to brand identity that sustains loyalty.
- Perceived value > mathematical value. Consumers respond emotionally to abundance, generosity, and sensory indulgence.
- Reusability adds resonance. When packaging becomes part of the product, the gifting experience extends far beyond December.
- Seasonal NPD can build new audiences. Advent formats are a low-risk, high-impact entry point to test new demographics or trends.
- Smart mechanics drive sales beyond the category. Bundled or conditional purchase strategies can turn gifting into a cross-sell powerhouse.
In summary: 2025’s advent calendars prove that the format remains a playground for creative brand strategy - a chance for marketers to delight, differentiate, and drive long-term loyalty, one door at a time.
