Thought leadership and marketing lessons from advent calendars
You know that advent calendars are big when most news media websites are running ‘Best advent calendars for 2023’ features. What’s really interesting about this is that advent calendars are a relatively new feature of Christmases—and gift-containing calendars still newer.
An evolving tradition
Like many of our Christmas traditions, Advent calendars are thought to have originated in Germany in the mid-19thcentury. The earliest record is from around 1850, when they were simply pictures hung on the wall as a way to count the days to Christmas. Cardboard calendars with different pictures were first produced just before the First World War, with the little doors becoming a feature in the interwar years.
However, Advent calendars did not become a big feature of Christmases generally until well after the Second World War. The first were commercially produced in Britain, for example, in the 1950s. Cadbury’s produced its first chocolate calendar in 1971, but chocolate-filled calendars only became ‘the norm’ in the 1990s.
Since then, advent calendars have boomed. You can now get calendars filled with beauty products, chocolates, coffee, and even Lego and Pokémon cards, as well as traditional cardboard offerings. Many families even fill their own calendar each year, to avoid waste.
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Unique Advent Calendar for Christmas as bag hanging with number on the background of gray wall[/caption]
Tapping into a need
What is it that has made us all rush out to buy ever-more elaborate Advent calendars? Advent calendars actually tap into some interesting psychological principles that help to make them appealing.
For example, they build a sense of anticipation. We live in a world of instant gratification—and in a way, of course, Advent calendars feed that by giving us something new each day. However, they also build to a climax at Christmas, and this sense of anticipation and delaying gratification can heighten the excitement. They provide a daily dose of excitement and surprise, triggering the brain’s reward system. We are engaged because we don’t know what will be behind each door.
Advent calendars also tap into a sense of ritual and tradition. Most of us remember them from childhood, and the excitement that they generated leading up to Christmas. The traditional nature of the experience creates a sense of routine and comfort—and who doesn’t need that leading up to Christmas? This also builds and fosters a sense of emotional connection, engaging us still further. When the calendar or its contents can be personalised, this can also build personal connection.
The limited time in which Advent calendars are available heightens the sense of urgency associated with acquiring one. In an age of social media, this is emphasised by a tendency to share Advent calendar contents online—or, for parents, the exploits of the ‘elf on the shelf’—adding a social aspect to the experience.
Lessons for marketers and thought leaders
Advent calendars are therefore clearly of interest to marketers and thought leaders. There is a sense of urgency about their purchase, they create emotional connections, and they give us a sense of belonging and comfort. Those are definitely feelings that we would like to tap into as thought leaders—but how?
The first aspect is that you need a series of some sort. This means two things: regular posts, and some kind of theme. Regular doesn’t have to be daily—though that can work over a period leading up to an event. Weekly or even monthly will also work, provided that your audience knows when you are posting, and is primed to look. The danger of monthly is that you will lose momentum in between, but this can be managed with an editorial calendar.
The second aspect is the theme. We have talked before about the importance of a ‘red thread’ running through your content. Artists like Andy Warhol are instantly recognisable because of their style, but also because of the idea that underpins their work—in Warhol’s case, popular culture. Repeating themes and ideas to build context and depth is crucial to building a reputation in thought leadership.
Finally, Advent calendars point us to one final lesson: the importance of building to a climax, and telling a story to build emotional connection. Advent calendars build over the period. The pictures or gifts are often coordinated, though each is also capable of standing alone. Similarly, each item you post needs to tell its own story. However, it also needs to build your personal ‘idea story’: to show how your ideas develop over time. This will help your audience to recognise your thinking, and again build your reputation.