NIVEA Launches "Care For Human Touch" to Inspire Togetherness and Help Combat Shadow Pandemic of Loneliness

New findings from NIVEA reveal an unprecedented need for human touch amid COVID-19 isolation

MONTREAL, Feb. 25, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - In this time of prolonged isolation and social distancing, new research published by global skincare brand, NIVEA, underscores the importance of human touch to quality of life and reveals how the COVID-19 crisis has magnified this need.

Lilly and Madelaine were born 9 weeks early. When Madelaine`s life was in danger, the twins were placed in the same incubator, skin on skin. #CareForHumanTouch.“ © NIVEA, 2021

According to the study¹, nine out of ten people surveyed before and during the pandemic stated that human touch is key to leading a happy and fulfilled life while 75 percent of respondents said COVID-19 isolation has made them realize how important physical touch is for their health. Despite this overwhelming desire for contact, there remains a troubling degree of loneliness and touch deprivation all over the world — a reality that's been made exponentially worse in the last year.

The NIVEA-commissioned study also revealed that 7 out of 10 people surveyed don't make human touch a priority in their busy, technology-driven lives. Importantly, however, 86% of respondents say that being more informed about the benefits of human touch would compel them to prioritize it more than they currently do. 

In response to these dramatic findings, NIVEA, which has stood for feeling good in your skin and human needs for more than 100 years, has launched its new brand purpose, "Care for human touch to inspire togetherness". This campaign aims to highlight the proven health benefits of physical touch and promote skin-to-skin contact and connection. 

As a demonstration of its commitment, NIVEA pledges:

• Invest 20 million Euros (CAD$31 million) in global skin-touch projects to reach more than 150,000 people, with a notable emphasis on premature infants, visually impaired populations, and seniors living with dementia.
• NIVEA also aims to make 100 million people aware of the proven health benefits of skin-touch by 2025.

"The shadow pandemic of loneliness is growing into a health crisis beyond our imaginations," said Julia Geissen, Marketing Director, NIVEA at Beiersdorf Canada. "NIVEA has always been a brand dedicated to making people feel good in your skin, by caring for skin and for people. NIVEA appreciates the overwhelmingly positive health effects of human touch and is focused on facilitating togetherness once it's safe and allowable to do so. Our wellbeing hinges on restoring tangible human contact."

To further its goal of promoting the positive effects of human connection, NIVEA Canada has partnered with Roots of Empathy, a children's charity and school-based organization that helps children build empathy skills and form connections by demonstrating the power of secure attachment relationships. To date, NIVEA has committed over $250K to Roots of Empathy across 24 Canadian schools and has facilitated training for 27 instructors, ultimately reaching more than 1,000 children.

Finally, NIVEA is kicking off the "Care For Human Touch" campaign by releasing a documentary film showcasing the true story of premature twins from Hamburg, Germany and how one twin's life was saved in the incubator by the most innate of human interactions — the skin-to-skin touch of her sister.

¹About the Research Methodology
Volume I was conducted by mindline, an independent research institute, as an online survey to 11,198 people in the following 11 countries (approximately 1,000 respondents per country): Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, South Africa, Thailand, the UK and US. Survey respondents were between 16-69 years of age, and were a representative sample based on gender, age, region and occupational status. The study was conducted between October 2018 and March 2019 (pre pandemic).

Focus group discussions in 11 countries, conducted by Happy Thinking People, an independent research institute, preceded the quantitative research.

Volume II was also conducted by mindline as an online survey of 11,706 people in the following 9 countries: Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, South Africa, South Korea, the UK, and the US. Survey respondents were between 16 – 69 years of age, and were a representative sample based on gender, age, region, and occupational status. The study was conducted between April 2020 and October 2020 (during pandemic).

ABOUT BEIERSDORF AG:
Beiersdorf Canada is part of the Beiersdorf Group, a global leading provider of innovative, high-quality skin care products and has over 135 years of experience in this market segment. The Hamburg-based company has over 20,000 employees worldwide and is listed on the DAX, the German benchmark equities index. Beiersdorf generated sales of €7.6 billion in fiscal year 2019. NIVEA, the world's No. 1 skin care brand², is the cornerstone of the company's brand portfolio, which also includes brands such as Eucerin, Elastoplast and Coppertone in Canada.

^2	Euromonitor International Limited; NIVEA by umbrella brand name in the categories Body Care, Face Care and Hand Care; in retail value terms, 2019

SOURCE Beiersdorf Canada Inc.

NIVEA Canada PR Contact: 1Milk2Sugars Communications, Siobhan Barrett: [email protected]