Beiersdorf Standing up for Tolerance – With NIVEA and Drag Queen Olivia Jones

• In Germany, NIVEA is launching an initiative for more togetherness – irrespective of age, background, gender, and sexual orientation
• Limited Edition of NIVEA Creme in rainbow design and rainbow decoration for NIVEA Haus stores to mark pride season
• Digital campaign together with Hamburg’s drag icon Olivia Jones and support of her school project “Olivia macht Schule” – an initiative for diversity, respect, and tolerance among children and their parents

Hamburg, June 9, 2020 – COVID-19 has scotched plans all over the world for the upcoming pride season. But at the same time, it has generated a great deal of creativity, commitment, and cohesion. With togetherness, respect, and tolerance being important now too – or indeed now more than ever – two iconic Hamburg names, NIVEA and drag queen Olivia Jones, are coming together to jointly stand up for lifestyle and identity diversity even without public gatherings.

“In producing NIVEA Creme in a rainbow design, we are using our most important brand to make a commitment to diversity and send a clear signal,” says General Manager Germany/Switzerland Iain Holding, emphasizing that diversity is important for the global company. “With our initiative for more togetherness, we wish to promote a world in which everyone can be who they want, without having to justify themselves. A world which is open and in which we all grow together,” Holding continues.

To make this a reality, Beiersdorf is launching a Limited Edition of NIVEA Creme in rainbow colors to mark the pride season and will be raising the rainbow flag at its headquarters and also at the NIVEA stores in Hamburg and Berlin. “Starting in mid-June, the TV & Digital campaign 'NIVEA is for everyone' will also be launched, and we hope that we can use the colorful NIVEA Creme to promote diversity in stores and bathrooms throughout Germany,” says Björn Böge, Senior Brand Manager NIVEA Creme, as one of the creative minds behind the campaign, which is presented on the NIVEA website at www.nivea.de/miteinander.

We also sought out a strong partner to help us successfully champion a colorful, diverse reality – someone who is a Hamburg icon just like NIVEA and who is known throughout Germany and further afield, too. Olivia Jones is a role model for many people who wish to practice and promote liberty, enjoyment of life, and individuality. “I want to inspire other people to live, to try things out and to show who and how you are or want to be – irrespective of age, background, gender, or sexual orientation. All it takes is tolerance, some courage and openness,”  says drag queen Olivia Jones. Many a time, Olivia Jones has dispelled people’s fears and prejudices with her untiring commitment.

One of her most important projects is “Olivia macht Schule,” a school project which evolved out of her highly regarded children’s book Keine Angst in Andersrum (not being afraid of being different). In this project, members of the Olivia Jones family – first and foremost drag queen Veuve Noire – go to schools to teach kids about tolerance, diversity, and respect, with the aim of putting an end to intolerance, bullying, and marginalization. This project is more than merely a labor of love – it is something that affects us all, because to achieve an open-minded future, we have to start with the youngest in society. Beiersdorf and NIVEA are proud to support Olivia with her “Olivia macht Schule” project and to promote diversity and tolerance with her in joint social media clips.

The fact that NIVEA is taking a public stand with its “More togetherness” campaign and has entered into a partnership with Olivia Jones has gone down well with the Beiersdorf staff, and in particular with the “Be You @Beiersdorf” network. Established last year, this network champions LGBTIQ+* topics among the workforce. “Our aim is to have a tolerant work environment in which employees and external partners can feel free and can contribute in their many facets irrespective of their sexuality or gender identity,” explains founding member Ralph Zimmerer, Vice President, Global NIVEA Brand & Design. “We believe everyone on this planet should be able to show their true self, their true identity. Diversity is something which enriches us in every way – both professionally and personally. I am proud that NIVEA is championing open-mindedness within society with this campaign.” 

^{* The acronym LGBTIQ+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intergender, queer and more.}