The Client & Brief

Guinness, an iconic name in the brewing world, has been synonymous with premium quality and rich flavours since its inception in 1759 by Arthur Guinness. Recognised by its famous harp logo, which also serves as Ireland’s national emblem, Guinness has built a global reputation for excellence, particularly in draught beer. As a brand rooted in tradition yet open to innovation, Guinness sought a luxurious, festive product for the 2023 holiday season to elevate their brand presence.

For Christmas 2023, Guinness partnered with Magellan to create an exclusive, high-end 12-day advent calendar. The concept was to offer consumers a unique experience by revealing a miniature bottle of premium alcohol each day, reinforcing the Guinness brand’s association with luxury and sophistication.

The Client & goal

Luxury Miniature Drinks  Advent Calendar

Magellan crafted 200 of these exclusive 12-day advent calendars, ensuring that the design and craftsmanship reflected the premium nature of the Guinness brand. The exterior of the advent calendar is adorned with a full-colour print that is visually striking and engaging. To enhance its appeal, a matte lamination and an unprinted anti-scuff layer were added, ensuring both durability and a refined, sophisticated finish.

Constructed from high-quality rigid board, the calendar’s structure is solid and enduring. Its dimensions, 158mm x 205mm x 122mm, provide ample space for the miniature bottles inside, each tucked away in a drawer measuring 120mm x 50mm x 50mm. The drawers are made from 3mm grey-board and follow a practical 4×3 layout, combining aesthetic elegance with user-friendly functionality. Each drawer is designed with a die-cut fold, allowing for easy access to the alcohol inside, while still maintaining the element of surprise.

12 day advent calendar

Premium Contents

To ensure this advent calendar stood out in the competitive alcohol market, Guinness curated a selection of 12 miniature bottles, offering a diverse range of flavours and brands to appeal to a broad audience. The selection included well-known names like Smirnoff Original, Chase, Smirnoff Raspberry, Gordons Gin Original, Captain Morgan, Tanqueray Blackcurrant Royale, Johnnie Walker, Tanqueray London Dry Gin, Gordons Pink Gin, Tanqueray No. 10, and Baileys.

The crowning moment comes on the 12th day, when the calendar reveals a bottle of Guinness, a fitting conclusion to a premium collection of drinks. The careful curation of the alcohols, combined with the exclusivity of the calendar, made it a highly sought-after gift for the holiday season.

PREMIUM CONTENTS

Design & Print 

The advent calendar’s exterior was carefully designed to capture the spirit of the holiday season while staying true to Guinness’s brand identity. A luxurious snow-themed design in the iconic Guinness gold color created instant recognition, making the calendar a standout gift for Christmas 2023. The matte lamination, combined with the anti-scuff layer, ensured the calendar maintained its elegance throughout the holiday season.

Each drawer also contained a scannable barcode, which allowed recipients to learn more about the specific alcohol revealed each day. This interactive feature added an educational and engaging dimension, transforming the calendar into not just a gift, but an immersive experience.

DESIGN & print

YouTube Video

For a deeper look into the design and craftsmanship of this luxury advent calendar, Guinness invited customers to explore a behind-the-scenes YouTube video. In this video, Managing Director Lee personally walks viewers through the features of the calendar, sharing insights into the meticulous attention to detail that went into its production. This video offers a comprehensive view of how the calendar was designed to align with Guinness’s heritage and premium brand values.

The Guinness Luxury Advent Calendar for 2023 is a prime example of how thoughtful design, expert craftsmanship, and strategic brand alignment can create a memorable and impactful product. The collaboration between Guinness and Magellan resulted in a festive masterpiece that not only delighted customers but reinforced the Guinness brand’s commitment to quality and innovation. This advent calendar is not just a countdown to Christmas – it’s a celebration of the finest drinks, curated and presented with the sophistication that Guinness is known for.

youtube video

Our Case Studies

Carwow 2021

1200 individually packed traditional advent calendars with 25 perforated doors.

Carwow 2022

Traditional advent calendar sent out to car manufacturers and clients.

Navien 2022

1400 digitally printed traditional advent calendars with a matching greeting card.

Latest Blog Posts

We and our clients were so impressed with the Luxury Drink Advent Calendars. Such a fun and inventive way to promote our company!

MS Lending

Harrods do Luxury Beauty Advent Calendars every year! They are such a great way to get people excited about what we offer.

Harrods

Everyone loved the traditional advent calendars and matching card. Would definitely recommend this as a small gift to clients.

NAVIEN

We did branded chocolate advent calendars in 2021 and were amazed with the results. We have been and will continue to get more with a different design every year.

CARWOW