By Sean Beckingham
I actually love the holidays.
Tradition, nostalgia and doing good are some of my favourite things.
One of the most classic Canadian holiday traditions is the Advent Calendar.
Every December, they show up again.
Sometimes they’re wildly creative. Sometimes they’re nostalgic chocolate throwbacks. Sometimes… they’re very boozy.
Advent calendars have become their own little cultural moment and every year, food, beverage and beauty brands all fight for a coveted spot on the counter for 24 days.
At Branding & Buzzing we’ve talked for years about creating our own. We never quite pulled the trigger but we did get a front-row seat. Several of our clients launched advent programs of their own and watching what worked (and what absolutely didn’t) taught us a lot.
So Far. The GOLD START goes to Bonne Maman.
The jam advent calendar filled with those iconic little jars was, in hindsight, one of the smartest campaigns we’ve seen. It wasn’t just cute. It was strategic.
The product launched through Costco and sold out. Not by accident, but by design.
What made it work was the testing phase. Before it ever hit shelves, food influencers & creators in Ontario were brought in to experience it, talk about it and give real feedback. That early validation shaped the rollout and built genuine momentum. The advent format wasn’t just festive it was a smart way to introduce innovation in a way consumers could taste, share and talk about.
Branding & Buzzing was brought in to build the program end-to-end. The result? Strong performance, repeat orders and a concept that stuck. I recently saw someone we worked with repurposing the box and jars for her family – refilling them with little treats of her own.
That’s when you know it worked.
This year, I’ve been spotting Advent calendars in the most unexpected places. Case in point: Burger Priest Canada launched a full-on 12 Days of Burgers campaign.
Bold. Delicious. Slightly dangerous for anyone with self-control. I can’t help but wonder is anyone actually tracking whether someone made it through all 12 days? Because that feels like a personal achievement worth documenting.
Either way, well played, BP Canada. And yes, consider this your SEO thank-you note.
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Holiday Marketing has got me thinking about all the holiday kits, gifts and swag boxes we’ve built over the years. Some were flashy. Some were simple. A few are still things I use today, which honestly is the real measure of success. Does anyone still have a Canola squeeze bottle?
The Ultimate Advent Calendar that never was
There was one program I was especially excited about – a 2025 Whiskey Advent Calendar featuring some of the best brands in the category. We started pitching it back in 2022. The idea was strong, the lineup was solid and the timing felt right.
Then March 4th, 2025 hit. Priorities shifted. Plans changed.
And honestly… does anyone else remember when you could actually buy bourbon at the LCBO?
Which brings me to this: as we head into the 2025 holiday season, I’m thinking less about whether brands should do Advent calendars and more about how they do them. Because 24 days is a big commitment. That’s 7% of the entire year dedicated to one idea.
The holidays will always come back around. The opportunity will always be there.
The real challenge is deciding which ideas are actually worth opening – one day at a time.
Next post. Why Santa is always a hit
