• by Tanya Gazdik , January 2, 2010

A new marketing effort from Nivea encourages consumers to make a New Year's resolution to "have more love, hugs and kisses in 2010."

The skin care maker is kicking off the campaign with the debut of the Nivea XOXO Chain in which Nivea encourages consumers to upload a digital hug or kiss to www.niveausa.com/xoxochain. Nivea will donate $1 to Big Brothers Big Sisters for each one that is logged online. The promotion runs through Feb. 14, Valentine's Day.

"Nivea values the importance of human connections, an inherent aspect of the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization," Nicolas Maurer, vice president of marketing at Beiersdorf, Inc., Nivea's parent company, tells Marketing Daily. "We felt this was the perfect fit for us as a brand."

Actors Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo, one of America's most romantic couples, kicked off the Nivea XOXO Chain. News of the Nivea XOXO launch was communicated via the onsite Times Square activation, through public relations, digital advertising and on-air during NBC's New Year's Eve programming hosted by Carson Daly.

The NBC integration includes on-air vignettes as well as online banners to drive awareness and engagement in the Nivea XOXO Chain and product assortment.

Nivea was an official sponsor of New Year's Eve in Times Square via a partnership with the Times Square Alliance. Included was a Nivea stage, called the Nivea Kiss Platform, with sponsored musical performances by Taddy Porter and Delfina. Three of the brand's TV spots (airing on network and cable throughout the year) will have a new soundtrack by Delfina. A Valentine's Day-themed print advertorial is also in the works to promote the XOXO Chain.

Nivea hopes to raise consumer awareness, engagement and emotional connection to its products and social mission, which is one of the reasons the company chose New Year's Eve as the occasion to launch the initiative with Big Brothers Big Sisters.

"2009 has been a tough year for a lot of people, and New Year's Eve is a great time to share love with friends and family and look forward to starting off 2010 with the best foot forward," Maurer says.

This is the second year that Nivea has served as an official sponsor. The company is introducing several new elements into the experiential campaign this year, including partnering with American Eagle Outfitters' Times Square flagship store. Nivea plays a prominent role on its two-and-a-half story electronic billboard where Nivea Lip Care brand images and text-to-get promotional messages rotate.

Nivea's message also is conveyed in-store at point of purchase via displays, sampling and a photo booth where consumers can have their photo taken while hugging and kissing for immediate digital sharing and uploading to the store's electronic billboard, the many large screens that lined Times Square on New Year's Eve and the Nivea Web site. More than 20,000 Nivea samples were passed out in Times Square on New Year's Eve as part of the promotion.

Nivea also partnered with American Greetings to let the public "share the love" and New Year's Eve merriment virtually through e-greeting cards.