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MARKETING!COMMUNICATION!ANALYSIS!
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SPRING!2013!
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EMERSON!COLLEGE!

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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NIVEA is the first brand and most important brand of Beiersdorf, a skin care company
originated from Germany. Beiersdorfs corporate objective is to be the No.1 skin care brand
in the market and categories. The company plans to achieve such objective by strategically
using NIVEA as the star brand. NIVEAs communication object is to strengthen NIVEA as
No.1 skin care brand and to modernize NIVEA brand image.
Recently, the company has announced Blue agenda as the brand compass, which focuses on
strengthening NIVEA brand. However, the company doesnt reveal the details of this blue
agenda. According to NIVEAs press release, the first move is to rebrand NIVEA, making it
more modernized. This is a reason why I am interested in tracking NIVEA because I used to
do NIVEA communication review for my client and it appears that NIVEA has always
relied on mass and traditional media for its communication strategy. Therefore, given an
updated brand direction, Id like to see how other branding and marketing communication
strategy would be executed in accordance to the Blue Agenda.
In terms of company culture, NIVEA relies on research & development as a basis to create
new product to maintain its reputation of being superior, high quality, and innovative.
NIVEA also has an online platform that welcomes smart and creative minds worldwide in
helping developing the new products. The platform is called Pearlfinder. Yet, Pearlfinder is
a closed online community, which requires membership registration.
The target market for NIVEA is women aged 18-35. They have middle to high income.
They are self-empowered. They take care of their skin well for their own goodness and to
boost confidence. As a result, we rarely see NIVEA using celebrity as brand presenter.
The analysis of this report is based on a recent launch of NIVEA Stress Protect deodorant in
UK and Germany. The report will cover communication tools used in the campaign, which
are social media, mass media, buzz, and promotions. NIVEA seems to have an integrated
marketing communication that creates awareness and supports a message in a consistent
way. However, the awareness doesnt necessarily convert to purchase, especially when the
product has a low involvement given its inexpensive price and low perceived risk.

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Moreover, there are prevalent substitute products offered by competitors. Therefore,
consumer journey and touch points should not be ignored. By reaching every touch point of
consumer, NIVEA can keep consumers in a communication loop planned to guide to
product shelf and make a purchase. However, the analysis shows that NIVEA still has to
improve its integration of call-to-action and use of POPs to complete consumer journey,
which will eventually encourage product trial.
As for creative execution, NIVEA Stress Protect in UK and Germany uses the same
thematic TVC with minor adaptation. Yet, the BTL communication channels differ in terms
of the insight and content use i.e. in UK a date situation is used to illustrate product benefits
whereas in Germany becoming a suspect at the airport is used. Both creative executions
have their pros and cons. A date to remember launched during Valentines Day may be
relevant in a certain period of time, yet highly appealing. Suspect at the airport creates a
striking buzz, yet the spread is limited to one location, Hamburg area. No matter what
execution is used, a single message consistency and relevant marketing communication tool
are the top priority.
BRAND BACKGROUND
NIVEA was founded in 1911 by Beiersdorf, its German parent company that also owns
Eucerin and La Prairie. NIVEA was innovated by a discovery of Eucerit, a kind of
emulsifying agent, which made it possible to develop the worlds first stable oil-and-water
based cream.
The name NIVEA derived from the latin words, nix and nivis, which means snow. Given
a change in consumer lifestyles and supermarket boom, NIVEA substantially expanded its
skin care product range in 1930s with a support from its research and development division.
Today, NIVEA has launched more than 500 products under its umbrella brand, globally.
Such products are under NIVEA Bath Care, NIVEA Body, NIVEA Beaute, NIVEA Hand
Cream, NIVEA Deodorant, NIVEA Visage, NIVEA Lip Care, NIVEA Hair Care, and
NIVEA For Men. 1 (beiersdorf.com)

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CONTEXT ANALYSIS

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In this report, we will analyze the marketing communication strategy for the new NIVEA
Stress Protect launch in February 2013 in UK and in Germany. NIVEA Stress Protect comes
in three forms: roll-on, spray, and stick. The product claims to have 48 hours anti-perspirant
protection against sweat and odor. 2 (nivea.co.uk)
Customer Context
NIVEA Stress Protect is a low involvement product in the sense that the price range is
inexpensive, 2.10-2.55 2; thus, consumers dont necessarily have to think too much when
making a purchase. Moreover, a perceived risk from deodorant is unlikely significant when
compared to facial nourishing cream and hair cream color.
In terms of motivation, I would argue that having seen the communication campaign
(external factor) first motivates consumers. The communication exposure makes consumers
recognize the needs for the product, they may recall past experience (internal factor) and
realize that the current product could be the solution to their past problems.
Therefore, NIVEA must be able to define consumer touch points to trigger the needs.
According to Internetworldstats, people in UK and Germany are heavily on social media like
Facebook and Twitter. 3 (mashable.com) Hence, apart from relying on mass media to create
awareness, NIVEA must also utilize the social media to engage with consumers.
Business context
A current communication strategy for NIVEA tends to be more content-oriented rather than
media channel-oriented. NIVEA Stress Protect could have talked about its functional
benefits solely. Yet, the campaign used the fact that people sweat when they get stressed for
campaign execution. Then, media channel that can deliver the content is selected. In this
case, the channels are social media like Facebook and Youtube. Indeed, the awareness is
important to encourage trial and purchase. Therefore, mass media must be included to gain
brand coverage. The reason NIVEA is moving to social media is possibly because the brand
plans to modernize itself to keep up with consumers and where they are. The brand is not

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only about message, advertising, and packaging, but also about communication channels
that can reflect the brand personality.
Deodorant by Unilever is the main competitor (Known as Degree in the U.S., Sure in the
UK, and Rexona in Germany). According to Mintel report in October 2012, Sure had the
highest deodorant brand value shares in the UK. 4 (marketingmagazine.co.uk) In terms of
communication strategy, Sure tends to rely on its brand heritage of being a long established
anti-odor and wetness. As for marketing communication, Sure uses online platform like
brand website and Facebook. But, the content is not engaging and interactive like NIVEAs.
SURE online space is used for informative purpose such as promotion news and product
facts.
In terms of brand image, NIVEA is more feminine, soft, and caring. In most of the TVC,
woman in the ad is portrayed as taking care of herself well and there is always male
appreciation of woman beauty to confirm product performance. In contrary to Sures latest
communication launch of Sure Maximum Protection, woman is portrayed as strong and
independent. 5 (youtube.com)
Based on the current campaigns, NIVEA owns consumer engagement and blue color code
used across brand elements that consumers can easily associate with NIVEA as its
competitive advantage. The engagement is not only consumers entertainment, but also
embedded with product benefits.
Internal context
NIVEA values research as its base for product innovation. NIVEA was actually originated
by a research discovery of emulsions, which led to the development of oil-and-water base
cream. Moreover, NIVEA products are dermatologically tested and skin endurance proven.
External context
In order to maintain its brand promise of offering superior and innovative products, NIVEA
launched Pearlfinder online community to increase joint collaboration with smart and
creative minds worldwide.

(pearlfinder.beiersdorf.com) Yet, Pearlfinder is a close

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community for only related parties. Pearlfinder members will be shared research knowledge
by Beiersdorf. At the same time, members can submit proposals, which will be
confidentially reviewed by Beirsdorf. And Beiersdorf will give feedback within eight weeks.
If the proposals catch an interest, Beiersdorf will contact members for cooperation and
members will be compensated with license payment for using the proposal.
Main communication needs
NIVEA has made a right decision to integrate social media in its communication campaign.
NIVEA Stress Protect in the UK has Youtube interactive VDO that allows users to explore
many different stressful situations on the date. While in Germany, the campaign started at
the airport creating buzz and is supported by interactive application on the website that
allows users to experience stressful games. The TVCs in both markets were launched to
create awareness and provide more information about the product. However, if consumers
search for more information on the Internet, theres nothing much on NIVEAs website. The
information provided is just a list of product ingredients and functional benefits, which is the
same message, delivered through thematic TVC. In addition, my friends in UK and in
Germany reported that they dont see any POPs in the supermarket.
Therefore, NIVEA should have a communication plan that complete consumer journey. In
this sense, it should use more emotional contents on the Internet; for examples, having a
product review by bloggers and generating more conversation about the product on their
Facebook fanpage. Furthermore, key scenes and promotions could be used at POPs to
trigger recall and consumers impulse purchase.
Summary of context analysis
NIVEA Stress Protect is a low involvement product that emotional-driven approach tends to
be more effective in creating interest. Consumer journey is important in order to convert
interest to purchase that NIVEA has to make sure that it reaches every possible consumer
touch points. POPs or promotion is suggested to accelerate purchase decision. Nevertheless,
a message delivered in each touch point must be consistent. Communication channels must
also reflect the brand goal and personality such as social media as being modern and
Pearlfinder as be innovative company.

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MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS GOALS AND POSITIONING

Corporate objectives
Currently, Beiersdorf and NIVEA dont state its corporate objectives publicly. Hence,
implications from Chairman message are used for this assumption. The corporate objective
of Beiersdorf is to be No. 1 in skin care in its market and categories. The objective will be
achieved by increasing global presence and investment in product for superiority and
innovation. 7 (beiersdorf.com) Beiersdorf has a strategic business plan called Blue agenda
introduced in 2012 and will be effective in the next five years in which NIVEA brand is on
the focus. 8 (Bloomberg.com) Beiersdorf doesnt reveal the details of the Blue Agenda plan,
but the first plan is to rebrand NIVEA logo and packaging to modernize the brand. The new
logo and packaging have been used in skin and body care categories since January 2013.
NIVEAs positioning is superior, high-quality, and innovative products that people value
and enhance their lives.
In terms of communication, the objective is to strengthen NIVEA as No. 1 skin care brand
and new modern brand image. As discussed earlier, an integration of social media and
interactive platform are used to support brand goal and direction, internally and externally.
SEGMENTS, TARGETING, AND POSITIONS
NIVEA user profile is a woman aged 18-35. She has middle to high income. She takes care
of herself well. The reason she uses NIVEA is to enhance her skin care beauty, which gives
her a confidence when she has to go out or have an intimate moment. Given a technological
development trend, she is more Internet savvy. She is on social media like Facebook and
Twitter as means of seeking information. She is more self-empowered than inspired by
influencers. Everything she does is for her own goodness. We can see that NIVEA rarely
uses celebrity as brand presenter.
In terms of buying decision-making process, the model suggests that it starts with problem
recognition, information search, alternative evaluation, purchase decision, and post-purchase
evaluation

(Jill, P.167). However, in such a low involvement product like deodorant,

consumers may recognize the problem by having seen the TVC or print ads. Its unlikely

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that they will initially search for information about the deodorant. Instead, if the ad hits the
insights, they tend to skip to purchase decision and post-purchase evaluation. Then, they
may search for information about the product to confirm their purchase and share the
product experience to friends if the product is proven to be effective.
MARKETING COMMUNICATION STRATEGY
Given that NIVEA Stress Protect is consumer goods with a low involvement, both pull and
push-positioning strategy are essential in order for the product to be successful. A pullpositioning strategy is used to create awareness to end consumers.

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(Jill, P.295-301) The

core message proposition, stress protection, is supported and strengthened by the use of
social media to create a buzz in alignment with mass media to gain coverage. The pushposition strategy, distributing the product to retailers, is equally essential as product must be
available when consumers need it.
MESSAGE AND CREATIVE
The message is delivered consistently in every communication channel: from product name
(Stress Protect), interactive VDO, web application, and TVC. The only difference between
UK and Germany is creative execution. In UK, the message is delivered through insights of
a date to remember situation, which seems to target more on women. In Germany, the
message is delivered through stressful situations at the airport. Yet, the interpretation of the
event is the same i.e. when you stress, you sweat and NIVEA Stress Protect is your solution.
The improvements as mentioned earlier are to use emotional contents online and incorporate
POPs.
COORDINATED COMMUNICATION MIX (MESSAGES, TOOLS & MEDIA)

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BTL channels work effectively in both markets as it triggers needs that consumers may not
think about. I like A date to remember in UK more because it creates curiosity. I was lured
to click on every button to see other stressful situation on the characters date and it took me
about 10 minutes to view all the situations. Thus, engagement was achieved and the key
message was repeated VDO after VDO. Moreover, the campaign was launched during
Valentines Day, which is one of the most important days for women. Therefore, the time of
the launch even creates personal relevance , curiosity, and interest.
RESOURCES
The campaign was created by Agency Republic Knucklehead in UK

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(coloribus.com) and

by Felix and Lamberti in Germany. 12 (adsoftheworld.com) Given that two different agencies
working on the same product launch, it is very important that NIVEA is the center of
information sharing. NIVEA UK and Germany should share the creative execution to cross
check that the message delivered in two markets is consistent.
SCHEDULING & IMPLIMENTATION (see exhibit 22)
It was unclear of an exact date of when A date to remember campaign was launched. But
it appears that NIVEA UK generated conversation about what would be the perfect gift on
Valentines Day on its Facebook page at the end of January. Then, the interactive VDO was
launched some times around the Valentines Day. NIVEA also used Twitter to maintain
conversation. As for thematic TVC, it is assumed that it was launched at the end of January.
In Germany, it appeared that NIVEA Stress Protect was launched in January. NIVEA
Germany started the campaign by generating conversation on Facebook page since early
January. But, the contents were more related to everyday stress like stress from workplace.
Then, the VDO about the stress test at the airport was launched in February, followed by the
thematic TVC and web application.
I think it is smart that both markets dont use the same creative execution to launch the
product because at the end of the day NIVEA Stress Protect is for any stressful events, not
limited to special day like Valentines Day.

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ISSUES

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Two possible issues are more related to consumer personal . The first issue is emotional
immaturity on her date, which some women may feel that women should not be dominated
by the presences of men. The second issue would mental health i.e. what if he target at the
airport has a severe stress control condition. However, there is no significant health report
for such feedback at the moment.
EVALUATION & CONTROL
Social Media
The use of social media effectively creates the buzz and the quick spread of the news. In
UK, NIVEA currently has 571,534 likes on Facebook and 8,815 followers on Twitter and in
Germany, 565,534 likes on Facebook. NIVEA generates an active conversation on this
social media, which guides consumers what to expect for the incoming news. It is a longterm relationship with consumers in the sense that consumers can generate and motivate
contents to other consumers as well. In this way, the brand can engage with consumers,
while consumers have a reference group, creating a strong online community, which can
increase brand loyalty in the long run.
Mass Media
The same thematic TVC is used in both markets to ensure message consistency and to
announce the launch of the product to a broader public. There are some minor adaptation in
Germany, which are basically voice over and some scenes insertions.
Promotions
A bundle package is used to increase product trial; however, as far as I observed the
promotion is only limited to NIVEA online stores and it is not heavily announced in the
social media. Moreover, POPs are not used to strengthen awareness and encourage impulse
purchase.
BUZZ
The stress test in Germany seems not to have a high coverage since the buzz only occurred
at Hamburg Airport and shared through Youtube, which has only 239,155 views. Even

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though the web application is used to sustain the buzz, I doubt the number of people playing
it. It is more like temporary entertainment, rather than triggering consumer needs.
The overall communication is effective in terms of creating awareness, but it is unlikely that
awareness can be converted to product trial or purchase since NIVEA doesnt heavily focus
on promotion. And consumers can switch to competitors product for better offer like
promotions easily due to a lack of POPs to keep consumers with the brand in the last
moment of purchase.
FEEDBACK
By using the social media, NIVEA can easily monitor feedback through comments, likes,
shares, and views. In general, it seems A date to Remember in UK gains more positive
feedback. Many likers found it insightful in a sense that the situation reflects what happened
in their dates. And they found it very engaging because the ability to mess up the date made
them curious of what could have gone wrong. In the other hand, consumers in Germany
seem to have negative feedback for the stress test at the airport. They are concerned about
possible health risks. But, it is important to keep in mind that not all viewers on Youtube are
NIVEA target audience. Thus, some viewers may find the content relevant, some may not.
The feedback in German social media is excluded here because of the translation barrier.
In terms of sales, NIVEA can evaluate the effectiveness of the campaign by benchmarking
the sales of deodorant at the time when it only relied on mass media with the current
campaign, which has integrated with social media and buzz marketing.
CONCLUSION AND SUMMARY
Taken consideration of NIVEA brand direction to become more modernized, integrating
with social media and below the line is a way to go. Everything about the brand, how it says,
how it looks, and where it talks represents what the brand is. However, the bottom line of
every company is sales and profits. Therefore, it is imperative that the brand can reach
consumers through out their journey. Marketing communication tools must be used to
support one another in a consistent way. In this case, NIVEA has successfully selected the
tools e.g. social media, mass media, promotions, and buzz to deliver the message, but it

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lacks a call-to-action support, which is POPs. Thereafter, NIVEA should improve in
reaching consumer touch points and providing engaging information on the Internet such as
bloggers and engaging informative contents.
The other market that NIVEA Stress Protect could expand to can be determined my
geography where the climate is hot and damp or by psychographics where people tend to
value social status and image as their priority, which may lead them to more stressful
situation to get to that value. Regardless of where the product may be launched, the most
important task of NIVEA is to project the brand in a single voice. Marketing communication
tools must be carefully selected to achieve the brand objective.

APPENDIX
Brand background
Exhibit 1: Self-analyzed NIVEA brand architecture

Context analysis
Exhibit 2: NIVEA Stress Product

Exhibit 3: A rebrand of logo and packaging

Exhibit 4: Sure as main competitor

Exhibit 5: Sure Maximum Protective TVC 2012

Exhibit 6: How Pearlfinder works

Marketing communications goals and positioning

Exhibit 7: Beiersdorf company promise

Exhibit 8: Chairman newsletter from NIVEA annual report 2012

Coordinated marketing communication mix

Exhibit 9: Thematic TVC used in UK and Germany

Exhibit 10: UKFacebook conversation, 7-day question prior to Valentines Day

Exhibit 11: UKInteractive VDO on Youtube, A Date to Remember

Exhibit 12: GermanyFacebook conversation, every day stress

Exhibit 13: GermanyBuzz, Suspect at the Airport

Exhibit 14: GermanyWeb application stress test

Exhibit 15: UK&Germany, promotion bundles with other products

Exhibit 16: UK website and Facebook Page

Exhibit 17: Germany: website and Facebook Page

Evaluation & Control

Exhibit 18: UKFacebook (See exhibit 15), Twitter Page, and Youtube Channel

Exhibit 19: GermanyFacebook (See exhibit 15),and Youtube Channel

Feedback
Exhibit 20: UK Feedback

Exhibit 21: Germany Feedback (Webgrader is not available.)

Exhibit 22: Assumed scheduling and implementation timeline