Out of the blue

While many skincare brands have fallen in and out of fashion, NIVEA has truly stood the test of time, feeling as contemporary today as when it was first launched over 100 years ago. And don’t just take our word for it. NIVEA has received the annual Reader’s Digest award for Most Trusted Brand many, many times.
So what’s its secret? Well it comes down to two seemingly contradictory strengths: innovation and consistency.

Back in 1911, the entrepreneur and pioneer, Dr. Troplowitz was inspired by the cream’s snow-white colour when he decided on the name NIVEA. Its name derived from the Latin word ‘nix, nivis’ for snow.
Originally launched in a yellow and green tin, with an Art Nouveau influence, it wasn’t long before it felt dated. There was even talk of discontinuing the product as sales slumped.
That’s when another innovator, Juan Gregorio Clausen – Beiersdorf’s then Head of Advertising – took a bold step. Perhaps inspired by his time as a naval commander, he changed the tin’s design to blue and white (synonymous with trust and reliability). As well as consistent quality, colour and design would prove to be strong features in its long-term success.

His 1925 minimalist design became a design icon and was the inspiration and basis for our new global design language launched in 2010. Because, with the continuous increase of NIVEA line extensions, the design had become less and less clear and consistent gradually lacking identification and recognition.
Now, all products in the NIVEA family carry the familiar blue and white colours and the characteristic round logo, giving them a distinctive and highly recognisable appearance in any supermarket aisle.