NIVEA’s consumer research showed that its target audience didn’t appreciate its “boring advertising”. What they do appreciate, however, is influencers. And football.

To connect the NIVEA MEN grooming products, we gave 31 influencers the chance to be a part of their favourite footballers’ rituals in Madrid. Because a NIVEA study showed that men feel better when they’re prepared. From changing room tips, to favourite restaurants, they were given backstage access into the lives of Real Madrid players and how they stay prepared.

These were international influencers whose followings were the right demographics for NIVEA MEN’s target audience. Meaning an interest in football, grooming and within the millennial age bracket.

We provided the influencers with an experience they would want to share, which they did across social channels driving sky-high levels of earned media. An additional consumer activation drove engagement and reach to involve the influencers’ followings on a global scale.

31 influencers were flown to Madrid for a weekend of activities with NIVEA and Real Madrid. Some of their lucky followers joined them as winners of the online activation.

They visited the grounds, had a tour of the changing rooms, met the players, enjoyed a kick-around on the training pitch, attended a Real Madrid game, explored the city and more. All activities were captured on film in photo and video content that the influencers could repurpose with #preparewithNIVEAMEN.

A majority of the content was shared live whilst the influencers were in Madrid, across channels ranging from Instagram, YouTube, Weibo, Facebook and Twitter. Instagram Stories provided a highly effective format for helping their followers make them feel like they were really there with them.

During the game, an in-stadium Twitter activation took place that boosted reach. Additional global press coverage from the game itself included the NIVEA x Real Madrid partnership.

45.100.000 impressions (sextupled the KPI)

1.800.000 engagements (quintupled)

8% social engagement rate (more than 2.5x industry standard)

1,161 earned posts (sextupled)

85% earned media

31 influencers (vs 22 KPI)

#2 trending topic in Spain on Twitter with #preparewithNIVEAMENf

This is NIVEA’s most successful digital campaign to date. Providing an experience with perfectly matched influencers drove high levels of earned media, press coverage, engagement and therefore ROI.

We were able to activate the right audience through the right influencers. By repurposing the traditional sports sponsorship, we facilitated game involvement from everyone; player, influencer and follower alike.