Charitable Nivea Rings In 2010 With Call For Affection

To ring in 2009, Nivea created the “Kiss and Be Kissed” campaign and gave away 25,000 free goodies to revelers in Times Square to promote its latest Lip Care collection.

This year, the brand's “Nivea XOXO Chain” promotion expanded the idea by encouraging consumers to kiss and hug in the name of charity. With each documented physical connection uploaded to Nivea's website on New Year's Eve, one dollar was donated to the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America volunteer organization. The videos and photos were then linked together into a virtual chain of affection.

This is the second year Nivea, owned by Beiersdorf, sponsored the citywide celebration. As partiers marked the arrival of 2010, the health and beauty brand wanted “to ensure Times Square revelers [were] irresistibly kissable and huggable at midnight,” and again gave out a slew of samples.

To energize the campaign, Nivea enlisted celebrity couple Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo, as well as Carson Daly, the host of NBC's programming that night. The campaign utilized other media sources such as digital and television advertising leading up to New Year's Eve, and also collaborated with American Eagle. Brand images, promotional messages, and uploaded pictures were broadcasted onto the retailer's 25-story billboard above its Times Square flagship store.

By all accounts, Nivea's strategy was a success, as the brand was splashed across television screens throughout America, not only increasing brand awareness, but also positioning itself well as the cold and chafing weather underscored the need for Nivea products.

Pretty smooth.