Lavazza is an Italian coffee brand that has been operating on the market for over a century. “Experience, Passion and Innovation” are the words that best define Lavazza’s identity; an innovation that runs deep in the company’s blood. Beyond developing and refining their successful line of coffee products, the Italian brand is in fact also known for its creative calendars.

In 1991, Lavazza released the first of a series of calendars (20) that aimed at associating the brand with current trends in the fashion and design industry. These calendars are not for sale but are exclusively produced for a limited number of loyal customers. Thanks to the contribution of many world famous photographers and celebrities, this tactic has been extremely successful in developing the brand’s name. Among the various editions, the 1995 one depicting Carla Bruni (currently France’s first lady) in a series of erotic pictures and shot by photographer Ellen von Unwerth, was greatly effective in creating buzz for the company.
This year, to celebrate the calendar’s 20th anniversary, a special 2012 edition has been created. Twelve of the photographers that worked with Lavazza in the past two decades were invited to take their self-portraits and select one of their previous works for the special edition: The Lavazzers. What’s more? Lavazza has also developed a free Lavazza Calendar app for iPhone users.

At the start, many believed that this initiative would be time and energy consuming and yield few fruits. However after 20 years of refinement, the Lavazza Calendar has become an incredible branding tool. The hard work has demonstrated Lavazza’s passion for quality products, proved Lavazza’s experience and capacity to successfully implement new ideas, and, through the uncommon practice of bringing together coffee and the creative industry, has shown Lavazza’s innovative drive.
The Italian alcoholic aperitif brand Campari has followed Lavazza’s example and produced its own set of calendars. This year, with the publication of its 13th edition, Campari will be turning its attention to doomsday with a calendar titled “It’s the end of the world, baby!”. This year’s edition stars Hollywood A-lister and supermodel Milla Jovovich, and features haute-couture outfits as well as jewelry by famous brands like Swarovski, Messika, Yann Weber, Stéphane Rolland and Paco Rabanne.

Creating a calendar can help some brands to increase their exposure to the public and further develop consumers’ knowledge of the companies and their products. Lavazza and Campari’s calendars connected the brands to fashion and helped in terms of building brand identity and differentiation. Collaborating with apparel brands, superstars, and photographers also provides potential opportunities for co-branding and celebrity endorsements.
Despite the fascinating possibilities, brands also need to consider the relevance of this move to their core competence and desired brand image. Creating a successful calendar is a complicated process that requires vision, time, and money. Brands should evaluate the pros and cons with discretion because inappropriate execution might lead to the weakening of their reputations.