A cheap cliché of creams, socks, and football
3/11/2026
Translation: machine translated
Pictures: Christian Walker
At first glance, this advent calendar for men seems alarmingly simple. I wanted to get annoyed at Nivea, but I have to admit defeat to the concept. From a brand perspective, it's a bullseye.
On the manufacturer's website, there is a warning below the men's advent calendar:
Avoid eye contact.
That is well-intentioned, but for me (and you), it comes too late. I have already seen the packaging. It shows the AI disaster of a stadium scene where men with strikingly good skin are holding a trophy up into a shower of confetti.
In addition, I get this sentence smeared onto my retina: «Its beautiful, Christmas design decorates every home and brings a festive mood to the cold season.»
Rubbing your eyes doesn't help.
It seems that the accompanying text for the women's calendar was simply copied into the relevant spot. That one actually looks warm, wintry, and appropriate for the occasion. Older readers will remember that advent calendars have something to do with Christmas.
Candlelight and eye pads here, Champions League and shaving foam there. How many clichés can you cram into two products – and how little effort does a well-known brand actually have to make? I would have liked to be at the decisive strategy meeting at Beiersdorf AG.
Perhaps it went like this: «Let's put the calendar for women in a box with a Christmas print.» – «Very good idea. And the one for men?» – «How about... football?» – «Great! That settles it. People will buy it anyway.» (Laughter, departure to the coffee kitchen.)
So simple it hurts
The next, far more disturbing thought makes me fear that at least 20 PowerPoint slides on Nivea's sports strategy and the results of hard-hitting market research were presented at said meeting. And that is the result? Is it – are we – that simple? That would be less than flattering for an entire gender.
I like football and I have nothing against Nivea. But I don't like this calendar. It scares me that it is obviously what appeals to many people in the pre-Christmas period to the manufacturer's full satisfaction – the men's calendar has looked this uninspired for years; at best, you can observe the progress of image generation on it.
This season, Nivea has also rationalized away the snowflakes as the last winter reminiscence. But the Beiersdorf group will know exactly what it is doing. And that it doesn't have to do much at all to palm off deodorants and shower gels to people in December. Why, though?
Not a rip-off at first glance
I'm taking a look at what you get for your money in the advent calendar, both rationally and emotionally. To do this, I'm unpacking everything and ignoring points 1, 3, and 4 of the instructions.
- Start on December 1st and open the corresponding door daily. ❌
- Remove the product and look at the packaging. ✅
- Read the instructions for use and integrate the product into your skincare routine. ❌
- Let yourself be inspired by the daily surprises and look forward to Christmas! ❌
To be fair: looking at the contents, I don't feel ripped off; every chocolate calendar is less worth it. There are eleven full-sized products inside – perhaps that's a hidden football reference. In addition, there are seven minis in travel size and more or less useful accessories. Whoever buys the calendar or receives it as a gift finally owns their own toiletry bag.
The unpacking experience is limited. When I pierce a player's head with my extended index finger, no Christmas feelings arise. The double cardboard wall printed with Christmas baubles, snowflakes, and gifts doesn't help either. It offers surprisingly high resistance and at least shows that Nivea hasn't completely forgotten the seasonal theme.
The round thing must go into the square thing
But something is happening to me. For one thing, memories come up when I pull a small blue Nivea tin out of the box. The round classic is a must; I haven't had it in my hand for a long time. For another, I'm thinking about products I didn't even know about before.
«Look, a deodorant for black and white clothes», I say during the communal calendar opening in the office. I'm learning new things and rediscovering familiar ones. I am having – oh horror – a brand experience.
1-0 for Nivea.
The strange deal with brand calendars
It's a strange trade that millions of people make year after year when they buy advent calendars from well-known brands. A bit like a season ticket for your favorite club. You spend a lot of money on it, are disappointed in most cases, and are happy every now and then. Jerseys – or in this case, advent calendars – come in so many different designs that something appeals to everyone. For the provider, the business is worth it on all levels.
From Nivea's point of view, the message hidden in the calendar could be: «Look, we offer you the following. You give away significantly more products than necessary or buy them for yourself right away. You get to know the advantages and variety of our range and voluntarily engage with our brand for 24 days in a row, something we can only dream of for the rest of the year.
Whatever you like, please buy regularly afterwards. You will understand that we have to sell a lot of it at the regular price; our strategic partnerships with Real Madrid and Jürgen Klopp are really expensive.
Because no one needs more than nine creams, you take a few promotional items in the advent calendar, wear Nivea socks, and go play cards with colleagues with our card game in your well-groomed hands. In return, you get all the nice things that you would never buy yourself over the course of a month, with a small discount. Deal?»
Anyone who buys and celebrates the calendar must really like the brand. Victory for Nivea through 24 own goals. If it is given as a gift, the manufacturer also cheers along and conquers a new bathroom. I throw in the towel (yes, there is one in napkin size included) and take my hat off (no, there isn't one included) to the marketing department at Beiersdorf. You are definitely the crème de la crème.
Michael Restin
Senior Editor
Michael.Restin@digitecgalaxus.chSimple writer and dad of two who likes to be on the move, wading through everyday family life. Juggling several balls, I'll occasionally drop one. It could be a ball, or a remark. Or both.
Opinion
This is a subjective opinion of the editorial team. It doesn't necessarily reflect the position of the company.
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