From Canada with love

Nothing gives us as much pleasure as the small and big love stories between our consumers and our brands. Every month, Beiersdorf receives letters, e-mails and photos representing hundreds of millions of people around the world. Some of those letters which we have received in recent months are shared by Guillaume de Vitton, General Manager Beiersdorf Canada, and his team.

“We are proud to be a part of the lives of so many people. Reaching them emotionally, offering them real added value, is a daily incentive for us,” says Guillaume de Vitton. “Such letters remind us that our brands like NIVEA are not ours, but belong to the people who place their trust in us day by day.” The Beiersdorf Canada takes great motivation out of reading the letters and sharing them within the team. Together they discuss on how to answer and come up with ideas on how to delight and surprise their fans.

“Understanding people’s individual needs is the key to building loyal relationships,” says Guillaume de Vitton, General Manager Canada. He especially remembers the lines from Saunder’s family. “We were very touched by this story. We read the letter at our team meeting and we all started brainstorming immediately on what we can do for them. In between our meetings and daily job routines it is fantastic to share the stories from our consumers who are the reason why we all love to work at Beiersdorf Canada.”

“Through the many struggles that life has thrown her way, there has been one godsend going through it all beside her – and that is NIVEA Creme. She has been using her product since she was 16 years old, because her mother used it as well,” Emily writes in a letter about her 83-year-old grandmother Helen. She also passed on her love of NIVEA cream to the following generations: “When us grandkids were at grandma’s, we would get into one of her many NIVEA containers and put it on our faces like war paint.” The NIVEA Team Canada then sent Helen a birthday letter, which everyone signed personally. The letter was accompanied by an XL tin of her beloved NIVEA cream and many other products. Granddaughter Emily then sent photos showing Helen is so excited about the NIVEA gift.

Another celebrator is Jan, whose wife Paula contacted Beiersdorf Canada for him: “My husband Jan will be 90 years old in December. He has been using NIVEA since I’ve known him – and that’s for almost 80 years! I told him: When I look at myself in the mirror I see so many wrinkles. His reply was: You really should try NIVEA.” For the anniversary Beiersdorf sent a selection of NIVEA MEN products and a cap, which Jan was particularly pleased about. His wife Paula captured the moment and shared it again with Beiersdorf Canada.

The winners of the SDM x NIVEA in-store competition shared their impressions in a detailed letter: “The trip was absolutely amazing! I find myself short on descriptive words. Rock The Rink show was amazing. I’ve never been to anything like that before and enjoyed it very much.” Theresa writes besides a vivid description of their sightseeing tour. Since Theresa has two sisters, the Beiersdorf team added a third on top of the original prize of two tickets. The sisters shared a happy selfie.

The Sunder family wrote a touching letter in which they thanked Beiersdorf for its medical donation program. It ensures that they can treat their son with Eucerin Aquaphor, which is medically necessary for him. The boy suffers from ichthyosis since birth, and his skin has to be treated with Aquaphor four to six times a day – a real cost factor, as the family initially bought dozens of tiles every month. “Without it his skin was stiff and itchy. Without frequent multiple daily applications his skin was so dry like sand paper. Aquaphor is truly a blessing. I have to thank your generous company for creating such an amazing program. It not only alleviates some financial burden for families but also shows my son is cared for. He’s really special, and your company is looking out for him.”

In addition to our main editorial team, many international colleagues regularly contribute to our corporate blog. From Europe to Asia, from Durban to Buenos Aires, Dubai or Sydney, they report on exciting projects from our more than 160 affiliates around the world, giving you an insight into Beiersdorf's local working environment.