Kidulthood is growing, and as millennials age and want to continue to fuel their nostalgia this presents a real opportunity for brands to target, especially at Christmas.

Amongst the latest products catering to nostalgia seeking young adults is the adult advent calendar. It is the sheer simplicity of this product that makes it such a winning formula; everyone loves an advent calendar, who doesn’t want chocolate for breakfast in the one month a year that it’s acceptable?!

However when targeting the 20-30 year old demographic, chocolate simply isn’t going to cut it. That’s why advent calendars need to get an adult makeover.

Tapping into trends

Since this revelation, we’ve seen gin calendars, whisky calendars, and now a craft beer calendar, because how could we talk about anything alcohol related without mentioning craft beer.

However despite being easy to dismiss as a gimmick, these adult calendars tap into very real trends. We’ve already mentioned the powerful force of nostalgia present in millennials, but going beyond that these products also engage with the millennial desire for mass luxury. Whilst it may be hard for a 20-something year old graduate to justify a £100 bottle of whisky, a £50 whisky advent calendar offers a more manageable way to experience these super premium bottles.

However, possibly the most powerful driver here is the Instagram factor. Few young adults are likely to post pictures of their chocolate advent calendars on social media in a way that isn’t ironic. However when your advent calendar door opens on a miniature bottle of Yamazaki 12 Year Old that’s a different beast entirely.

With these adult advent calendars fetching premium prices, often £50 and upwards, there is a real opportunity here for brands to hit the ground running in the always lucrative month of December. Further, there’s plenty of room for experimentation, and brands need not stay constrained by a single spirit type. Think a Diageo brand advent calendar – 25 days would barely scratch the surface!

With premiumisation consistency the largest motivator for spirits consumption in the UK, this is not only a good way to bring in that extra bit of December revenue, but is also a great marketing tool for introducing new consumers to your premium range.

Related links:

https://www.globaldata.com/store/report/cs4768mf–country-profile-spirits-sector-in-the-uk/