Nivea, the skin-care brand owned by German cosmetics giant Beiersdorf, has been around for a century, and its signature blue tin a staple since it was introduced in 1925. And it's this history—and the established brand recognition—that the beauty company is looking to highlight in a yearlong series of 100th anniversary celebrations. As part of the global campaign, which started in May, Nivea built a pop-up at Grand Central Terminal's Vanderbilt Hall, designed to feel like the inside of an oversize version of its trademark tin, with a circular motif, blue and white visuals, and interactive stations. Dubbed the "Nivea 100 Year House" and produced by Event Central, the public promotion opened on Monday and runs through Friday.
"For the last 100 years, Nivea has been an iconic skin-care global brand built on the trust of our consumers," said Magnus Jonsson, vice president of marketing for Beiersdorf North America. "We're thrilled to offer them the unique opportunity to experience Nivea's 100-year journey in a fresh, interactive fashion. As we look forward to the innovation of the next 100 years, we're excited to connect with a new generation of Nivea users."
To engage loyal customers and entice new ones, the free experience offers plenty of samples and integrates Nivea's partnership with singer Rihanna. The latter is a key part of the centennial celebration, as the pop star is the face of its "100 Years of Skincare for Life" campaign—which represents about 70 percent of the brand's million-euro marketing budget for 2011—and Nivea is sponsoring her North American and European "Loud" tour.
To tie the visuals to Nivea's heritage, the production team took its cue from the company's round blue tin and employed circular objects throughout the pop-up. In fact, the entrance to the space is marked by a enormous replica of the skin cream packaging, with a doorway cut into the foot of it. There are also blue and white circular rugs, branded signs cut in the shape of a circle, and round displays at some of the stations.
Reflecting the evolution and history of the brand is a wall of ads from over the years, a rotating exhibit of the blue tin and its various incarnations since the 1925 debut, and a video display. However, the interactive areas aren't all about Nivea's past—one section, dubbed the innovation station, showcases the skin-care company's recently launched "Hydra IQ" technology, while the lounge encourages visitors to like the Nivea U.S.A. Facebook page and enter to win tickets to a Rihanna concert. At a photo and video booth, consumers can pose for photos with Rihanna—or rather, a virtual image of the singer—and record their fondest memories of Nivea.
The Beiersdorf brand will continue its centennial promotions on a global level, activities that include a skin advisory tour the company expects to generate more than 13 million consumer contacts.
