Banks Beer Turns Derelict Building into Graffiti Advent Calendar

It's December 1st, which means only one thing: you get to open the first window on your advent calendar! Whether you've gone for classic chocolate, gin, pork scratchings or Selfridges' 500 quid luxury version, there's nothing like a daily treat to fill your heart with festive joy.

But if you're more of a Grinch when it comes to Christmas, you might want to pay a visit to Wolverhampton, where Banks brewery has gone for a slightly grittier Christmas offering by transforming a disused, boarded-up building [pictured above] into a giant, 11-metre-tall advent calendar.

Each of the 25 windows will be opened to reveal a cheeky Christmas-themed graffiti design and witty commentary that subverts the season’s cultural conventions. The inaugural image depicts a sprig of mistletoe above the words 'Marriage Wrecker'.

Creatively devised and designed by Big Al’s Creative Emporium, as part of the brewer's ongoing 'Tells It Like It Is' campaign, the tongue-in-cheek activation aims to give people a chuckle at a time of the year that’s loaded with expectations, by revealing the things we’re all thinking, but don’t dare say.

Located on the corner of Willenhall Road and St James Street, Wolverhampton, the outdoor stunt will see a new window opened every day in the run-up to Christmas. For those who can't make it up to the Black Country in person, the agency has also created an interactive version of the calendar.

“Our challenge was to create a festive campaign that grabs the attention of younger audiences through its innovative use of ambient space," says Stef Jones, creative partner at Big Al's. "To cut through the noise of traditional Christmas advertising and spread Banks’s message, we spoke the relatable language of the pub-goer and utilised urban spaces, embracing the mindset of graffiti artists. When we spotted this abandoned building in Wolverhampton with just the right number of windows, we seized the opportunity to resonate with a new generation of drinkers.”