How John Bell & Croyden’s 3D Advent calendar created daily moments of discovery

The brief: creating an immersive festive retail experience

For more than two centuries, John Bell & Croyden has been a landmark in premium pharmaceutical retail. Last Christmas, the team wanted to create a festive experience that would encourage customers to explore, engage and return throughout December.

We worked with the brand to design and build a bespoke 3D Advent calendar inspired by the its iconic Wigmore Street store. The aim was to create a memorable festive feature that would capture attention, showcase products and give customers something new to discover throughout the season.

The challenges: designing at scale for modern retail

Creating the Advent calendar meant finding the right balance between creativity, practicality and brand heritage.

Key considerations included:

·       Reflecting the recognisable architecture of the Wigmore Street store

·       Making sure each Advent door could accommodate real products while fitting comfortably within the retail space

·       Creating an experience that worked both in-store and across social channels, with daily product reveals throughout December

Our solution: end-to-end expertise that delivered results

Linney created a fully bespoke solution, bringing together design, manufacturing and activation.

Reimagining an iconic store for the festive season

Taking inspiration from John Bell & Croyden’s flagship store, we designed a handcrafted 3D Advent calendar that celebrated the building’s distinctive character while creating a festive focal point in-store.

Daily moments of discovery

Each Advent door was engineered for smooth opening, allowing staff to reveal featured products throughout the season. The daily reveals encouraged customers to stop, explore and discover something new each day.

Creating impact in store

Warm lighting added depth and atmosphere to the display, helping it stand out within the retail environment while complementing the store’s premium look and feel.

Why it worked: agile thinking meets experiential retail

The best Advent campaigns give customers a reason to stay engaged throughout the season.

By turning a familiar storefront into an interactive Advent calendar, we helped create daily moments of discovery throughout December. Each reveal gave customers something new to explore while highlighting products, sparking conversations and creating content opportunities across social channels.

We brought together the right people, creativity and technology to create an experience that connected brand storytelling with customer engagement during one of retail’s busiest times of year.

Planning your next festive campaign?

As Advent displays return to stores and festive planning starts earlier each year, brands have more opportunities than ever to create meaningful customer experiences.

As your connected marketing partner, we bring together the right people, creativity and technology to solve your marketing challenges. We create, make and activate effective campaigns and communications, from first concept to final delivery.

If you're planning your next festive activation, we'd love to help create experiences that connect with your customers and deliver results.

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