Hamburg, 14 July, 2025 – NIVEA today unveiled the new global awareness campaign “We are not alone in feeling alone,” an effort designed to spotlight the growing issue of loneliness and emphasize the importance of social connection in an increasingly fragmented world. The campaign complements the new global NIVEA CONNECT study on loneliness and social connection and will include educational resources to help people identify loneliness triggers, understand the issue’s impact and better connect with others.
The central campaign asset is a powerful and emotive short film titled “We are not alone” featuring strikingly diverse locations from South Africa to Japan. “We are not alone” uses a surprising and visually memorable figure – a humanoid alien – to personify the universal yet often invisible experience of loneliness. The film presents a series of poignant scenes across the globe, from everyday school life to a ride in a public bus to demonstrate that loneliness can exist even in the most crowded and joyful environments. When one character reaches out to connect, the alien transforms into a human being, symbolizing the profound impact of empathy and human connection. Brought to life through close collaboration with people who have experienced social isolation, produced by Tempomedia Filmproduction with the creative VFX expertise of Chemistry Postproduction, “We are not alone” was directed by Alex Feil and shaped by the bold vision of lead agency Publicis One Touch.
“At NIVEA, we believe that human connection is essential to our well-being,” said Grita Loebsack, President of NIVEA. “With ‘We are not alone,’ we’re using the power of storytelling to highlight how common, yet hidden loneliness can be, and to remind people that even the smallest act of empathy can change a life. Our mission with this campaign is to spark a global conversation, reduce stigma and encourage people to see and support each other because nobody should feel alone in feeling alone.”
Tobias Collée, Vice President of the NIVEA brand, added: “Through real stories and relatable moments, ‘We are not alone‘ aims to show that we all have the power to reach out and connect. The transformation of the alien back into human form is symbolic of what empathy and inclusion can achieve – it’s cinematic, but rooted in real emotions.”
Kate Stanners, the Chief Creative Officer at Publicis One Touch, summed up the campaign’s goal as follows: “We wanted to give loneliness a face: something people could see, recognize and feel. That’s how the idea of the alien was born. It’s a metaphor for what it’s like to feel out of place, even in familiar surroundings.”
Ahead of the launch of “We are not alone,” NIVEA also released the results of a new global study on loneliness and social connection. The results reveal that the experience of feeling alone is widespread, with one in five people often feeling lonely and over half reporting that they had felt isolated at some point. Conducted in 13 countries with more than 30,000 respondents, the research highlights the deep emotional and physical toll of loneliness as well as common barriers to seeking help, such as shame and fear of being a burden. Despite these challenges, the findings and the campaign underscore the transformative power of human connection, with those who feel emotionally connected to others reporting significantly higher levels of happiness and well-being.
The launch of “We are not alone” and the global research are cornerstones of NIVEA CONNECT, a global social mission and multi-year effort aimed at reducing the stigma around loneliness and social isolation and fostering meaningful human connections. Launched in September 2024, NIVEA CONNECT works to educate and support communities, organizations and individuals around the world to reduce social isolation and strengthen human connections. In less than a year, NIVEA has set up NIVEA CONNECT projects with local expert organizations in more than 30 countries to support communities on this issue. The brand commits to set up projects together with partners in 40 countries by 2026. Aligned with Beiersdorf’s CARE BEYOND SKIN Sustainability Agenda, NIVEA CONNECT reflects the brand’s commitment to fostering a more inclusive society as part of the company’s strategy Win with Care. The campaign video is available here.
About NIVEA CONNECT
NIVEA CONNECT is a social mission by NIVEA launched in September 2024. NIVEA is committed to fighting social isolation and fostering meaningful connections in response to a global crisis of social isolation and loneliness, affecting the health and well-being of people of all ages, socio-economic backgrounds and cultures. NIVEA believes that by fostering genuine human connections, embracing inclusivity, supporting mental health and empowering individuals, we can build a world where fewer people feel isolated or disconnected.
