Combination Of Online & Offline Strategies Resulted In 2x Increase: Sunil Gadgil
Nivea celebrated its third edition of Nivea Soft Fresh Batch, a digital talent hunt that aims to empower the next generation of influencers.
The program took place in Mumbai where 60 winners secured year-long contracts with the brand, marking the beginning of their influencer journey. It was a holistic celebration of creativity, talent, and the seamless fusion of the digital and on-ground worlds. It included compelling content creation zones, themed photo booths, and a professional photoshoot organised for the finalists.
Sunil Gadgil, Marketing Director at Nivea India, emphasised the brand's adaptability and commitment to staying relevant in the ever-changing market. "At Nivea, we recognise the importance of staying agile and adapting to the evolving omnichannel consumer and shopper trends," he stated. "Our online presence aims to engage with consumers through feedback, reviews, and online communities. This two-way communication helps us continuously improve our reach."
Influencers included Manav Chhabra, Unnati Malharkar, Ashi Khanna, Tanzeel Khan, Rishabh Chawla, and Anam Darbar as mentors to help the newly crowned influencers navigate the dynamic digital landscape and carve their paths forward. The digital platform has been created to spotlight, mentor and support the ambition of becoming an influencer. As this is a digital platform, it creates a level playing opportunity for talent from Tier II cities, shared Gadgil.
Optimisation Of Digital Platforms
The Nivea Soft Fresh Batch talent hunt witnessed a surge in participation, with over 2,30,000 entries pouring in from digital platforms such as Instagram and MOJ. Gadgil shared, "Additionally, we expanded our online presence with YouTube to maximise engagement".
The new creators hail from over 45 cities across India, demonstrating the program's escalating popularity among the Gen-Z population.
Entries came flooding in from major metropolises like Mumbai, Pune, Surat, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, as well as regional towns like Lucknow, Jaipur, Kanpur, and Nagpur, showcasing the diversity in participation.
Nivea's approach this year was curating four distinctive tribes namely Fresh Beauties, Berry Fashionistas, Peppy Performers, and Peachy Stars, inspired by the variants of the Nivea Soft Light Moisturizer. Each tribe represented a flavour of talent and creativity, reflecting the diversity within the Gen Z community.
Gadgil revealed, "We executed on-ground college activations in 430 colleges across 40 cities, enhancing our offline presence. This combination of online and offline strategies created a seamless brand experience resulting in an exceptional 230,000 entries in 2023, which is a 2x increase over the previous year."
The Sustainable Route
He also shed light on Nivea's sustainability efforts, explaining how they incorporate eco-friendly packaging and responsible ingredient sourcing into their brand operations. These sustainable practices are highlighted in product descriptions and marketing collaterals.
In the post-COVID-19 world, Nivea has adapted to shifts in consumer behaviour by intensifying its digital marketing efforts, emphasising health and wellness benefits, and promoting environmental sustainability.
Gadgil concludes that the initiative will continue to be a key part of their marketing strategy as it fosters a sense of shared growth and community engagement.
