UAE. Beiersdorf Middle East is aiming to further consolidate the presence of its Nivea brand in the region’s travel retail channel. The company exhibited at the recent Middle East Exclusive event in Dubai, gaining valuable exposure via its innovative Nivea Skin Science Express – a mobile beauty spa in the guise of a bus.
 |  |
Trevor Jackson and team invite visitors to Middle East Exclusive onboard the eye-catching Nivea Skin Science Express | |
“This year’s Middle East Exclusive was the venue for the bus’s travel retail debut,” Beiersdorf Middle East Trade Channels Consultant Trevor Jackson told The Moodie Report. “We bought it three years ago, and it has proved very popular. It allows us to offer manicures, make-overs and massages. And it’s very versatile; we’ve taken it to events as diverse as bridal shows and the Dubai Ruby Sevens.”
Since entering the travel retail market two years ago, Beiersdorf Middle East has successfully completed the refurbishment of Nivea stands in several major regional airports, including Dubai Terminals 1 and 3, and Muscat in Oman. It is also present in Abu Dhabi Airport Duty Free, and in late 2009 expanded into travel retail in Iraq and Cyprus.
 |
Nivea’s redesigned travel retail exclusives form a key part of the brand’s offer in the channel |
Island stands in arrivals and departures areas of Terminals C and D in Baghdad were introduced at the end of last year. And Nivea Care and Nivea Body product stands entered the new Larnaca Zenon terminal, which opened officially on 7 November 2009.
With over 400 products across skin, body, Visage, men and make-up, the Nivea brand portfolio is vast. “We have been fine-tuning the travel retail selection, which now focuses on our best-sellers and lots of great gifting ideas,” noted Jackson. “And our travel retail exclusives account for around 25% of sales in the channel.”
Those exclusives have been redesigned to highlight the Nivea brand colours, and to position the sets at a more premium level. Novelties include the Lift and Contour Program pack, the Dynamic Duo lipstick and nail polish combos, and the Party Princess/Party Rebel lipstick, mascara and nail polish trios.
 |
The Nivea brand on display at Dubai Terminal 3, described as a “travel retail success story” for the company |
“The Middle East/North Africa office covers 17 countries, and we are looking to be present in the travel retail channel in all of them – that’s the challenge for the next few years,” concluded Jackson. “Ground shops will be our first priority, but we will of course be looking at the inflight market too.”
“Beiersdorf is actively looking at more innovative distribution opportunities, and the growth of the duty free channel is a major focus globally to support our traditional channels such as mass market, pharmacies and selective market distribution,” added Beiersdorf Middle East MD and CEO Robert Taylor-Hughes.
“Dubai has emerged as one our travel retail success stories and we are confident of replicating that in the rest of the Middle East by leveraging our strong regional brand equity.”
