Ricola Advent Calendar 2024 – Combining Brand Consistency with Festive Appeal to Win the Hearts and Hands of Consumers

The Christmas season is a time of joyful anticipation. To make the weeks until Christmas Eve as festive as possible, an Advent calendar is an absolute must for many – not only children, but also young-at-heart adults. Ricola, the renowned Swiss manufacturer of high-quality herbal candies, is well aware of this. That’s why, starting in 2022, the company will be one of the few brands in this product category to offer its own Ricola Advent calendar every year. The company put the design of the 2024 version in the hands of our packaging design agency.

The Advent calendar ensures that consumers can discover, try, and enjoy Ricola products for 24 consecutive days, either alone or with loved ones. This aligns perfectly with the company’s strategic intent: “We are Ricola, we bring the delight of naturally Swiss Alpine Herbs to everyone, every day, and everywhere.” Alongside classic favorites, the 2024 calendar also introduces new flavors not yet available in Germany—sparking curiosity and boosting purchasing interest among consumers.

The Christmas tree- and wreath-shaped designs of 2022 and 2023, rooted in classic and traditional aesthetics, were a hit with customers. Building on this success, Ricola aimed to once again offer an alternative to typical chocolate Advent calendars in 2024. This time, however, the design was intended to take a “freer” direction, as Ricola described it. The company envisioned the Advent calendar as a brand positioning statement, one that reflects Ricola’s character, exudes modernity, and remains true to the festive occasion.
Key Messages for the Ricola Advent Calendar 2024:

Celebrate the Christmas season with natural Swiss herbal candies.
Experience and share the quality of Ricola products every day.

Design Priorities for Ricola:

Creativity and innovation.
Alignment with Ricola’s brand identity.
Festive appeal and emotional connection to the brand.

With the core themes of “natural,” “quality,” “sharing,” “festive,” and “emotional,” we crafted a design that tells a story. Incorporating Ricola’s signature yellow and green, the final product fulfills these requirements while reflecting the spirit of giving in a stylish and emotionally resonant way.

The calendar predominantly features Ricola’s iconic yellow, complemented by the green logo and a central motif: open, giving hands presenting a green gift adorned with a yellow Ricola box embellished with herbs. Snowflakes and the festive patterns of sweater sleeves add a cozy, wintry touch, making the Advent calendar a perfect blend of modernity, tradition, and Christmas cheer.

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