Nivea: Managing an Umbrella Brand
‘In many countries consumer are convinced that Nivea is a local brand, a mistake which Beiersdoft, the German makers, take as a compliment.’
(Quoted on leading brand consultancy Wolff-Olins’ website, www.wolff-olins.com)
An ode to Nivea’s success
In May 2003, a survey of ‘Global Mega Brand Franchises’ revealed that the Nivea Cosmetics brand had presence in the maximum number of product categories and countries. The survey, conducted by US-based ACNielsen, aimed at identifying those brands that had ‘successfully evolved beyond their original product categories’. A key parameter was the presence of these brands in multiple product categories as well as countries.
Nivea’s performance in this study prompted a yahoo.com news article to name it the ‘Queen of Mega Brands’. This title was appropriate since the brand was present in over 14 product categories and was available in more than 150 countries. Nivea was the market leader in skin creams and lotions in 28 countries, in facial cleansing in 23 countries, in facial skin care in 18 countries, and in suntan products in 15 countries. In many of those countries, it was reportedly believed to be a brand of local origin—having been present in them for many decades. This fact went a long way in helping the brand attain leadership status in many categories and countries (see Table 3).
Table 3 Nivea: market positions
CATEGORY Skin care Baby care Sun protection Men’s care
COUNTRY
Austria 1 1 2 1
Belgium 1 1 3 1
UK 1 3 - 1
Germany 1 1 3 1
France 1 1 1 3
Italy 1 1 5 1
Netherlands 1 1 5 1
Spain 1 4 - 1
Switzerland 1 1 4 1
The study covered 200 consumer packaged goods brands from over 50 global manufacturers. The brands had to be available in at least 15 of the countries studied; the same name had to be used in at least three product categories and meet franchise in at least three of the five geographical regions.
In its home country Germany, too, many of Nivea’s products were the market
(Quoted on leading brand consultancy Wolff-Olins’ website, www.wolff-olins.com)
An ode to Nivea’s success
In May 2003, a survey of ‘Global Mega Brand Franchises’ revealed that the Nivea Cosmetics brand had presence in the maximum number of product categories and countries. The survey, conducted by US-based ACNielsen, aimed at identifying those brands that had ‘successfully evolved beyond their original product categories’. A key parameter was the presence of these brands in multiple product categories as well as countries.
Nivea’s performance in this study prompted a yahoo.com news article to name it the ‘Queen of Mega Brands’. This title was appropriate since the brand was present in over 14 product categories and was available in more than 150 countries. Nivea was the market leader in skin creams and lotions in 28 countries, in facial cleansing in 23 countries, in facial skin care in 18 countries, and in suntan products in 15 countries. In many of those countries, it was reportedly believed to be a brand of local origin—having been present in them for many decades. This fact went a long way in helping the brand attain leadership status in many categories and countries (see Table 3).
Table 3 Nivea: market positions
CATEGORY Skin care Baby care Sun protection Men’s care
COUNTRY
Austria 1 1 2 1
Belgium 1 1 3 1
UK 1 3 - 1
Germany 1 1 3 1
France 1 1 1 3
Italy 1 1 5 1
Netherlands 1 1 5 1
Spain 1 4 - 1
Switzerland 1 1 4 1
The study covered 200 consumer packaged goods brands from over 50 global manufacturers. The brands had to be available in at least 15 of the countries studied; the same name had to be used in at least three product categories and meet franchise in at least three of the five geographical regions.
In its home country Germany, too, many of Nivea’s products were the market