Utter Creatives launches Advent of Change in Waitrose and John Lewis

Utter Creatives design and branding agency has designed the Christmas merchandise for non-profit organisation Advent of Change.

The product designs include calendars, candles and crackers containing celebrity ‘best bad jokes’. Advent of Change is a non-profit organisation with a mission to “make the world a more fair, equal and sustainable place by creating beautiful products that donate to, and raise awareness for, multiple charities with one single purchase.”

Dee, the head creative at Utter Creatives, and Kristina who founded Advent of Change started working together on the Calendar last year in 2020. Since then, Advent of Change products have raised a record amount of £235,000 in 2020. This year, the calendar is hoping to surpass that target in order to raise money and awareness for the 48 charities in their repertory. 

Creative director Dee Darcy said: “it’s been a highlight for us, and amazing to see my agency’s work appear so prominently on the high street.” “This year’s products have already been featured in Hello and Grazia magazine, so we are getting lot’s of coverage, and are well on the way to smashing last years target”

Each Advent calendar has 24 doors which reveal a recipient charity upon opening and tells you how your money will be used to help that charity. The idea behind the calendar is that it will brighten up your Christmas countdown by giving you the satisfaction that you have helped change the world with its purchase. 

The Charity Advent Calendar has experienced overwhelming success being a John Lewis best-seller, it also received an award from the Prime Minister and glowing support from Sir Richard Branson. Advent of Change has released a series of Advent Calendars and products. Alongside the Charity Advent Calendar there is the Children’s and Premium Charity Advent Calendar. The range also includes candles, crackers, bauble and pin badge. The Christmas bauble displays 10 individually designed stars which represent a charity and donation each and the Christmas Crackers each contain a ‘best bad joke’ from a famous celebrity. 

The designs that can be seen across their products and packaging are hand illustrated with stars to attune with the essence of brightening your countdown and of course with Christmas. Utter Creatives said: “It's been amazing to have been involved in this project for the second year running and [Advent of Change] are already smashing their sales target.” 

Kristina Salceanau who founded Advent of Change in 2018 started the project alongside her full-time job. She remarks that “[Dee] has been able to seamlessly transition her style between our products, whilst still being distinctively Advent of Change, as well as creating innovative concepts, spanning premium looks, to fun, engaging children's items.” 

Both Dee, Utter Creatives and Advent of Change hope that this year’s product launch is just as successful as the design from last year. Calendars, crackers, baubles and candles are all now available in Waitrose and partner stores including John Lewis.