Interview With Long-Time Customer Beiersdorf About the Successful Partnership

We recently interviewed Ben Polter, Global dCRM Manager at Beiersdorf AG. We talked about the cooperation with LoyJoy. To date, Beiersdorf and LoyJoy have celebrated great successes. These include the NIVEA Advent Calendar and the Eucerin Skin Consultant. Together with its sponsor NIVEA, the football club Real Madrid initiated the NIVEA MEN Fanclub as an exclusive channel for all Real Madrid and NIVEA MEN fans. The whole Fanclub runs on the LoyJoy platform and became a huge success for both Real Madrid and NIVEA MEN.

Who Is Beiersdorf?

The Hamburg-based company was founded in 1882. Since then, it has been known for its innovative skin care products. It is a member of the DAX, Germany’s leading stock marketing index, and achieved a turnover of 8.8 billion euros in 2022. It markets iconic brands such as NIVEA, Eucerin, Hansaplast, and many others worldwide. In addition to the Consumer segment, the company has the TESA segment. As one of Beiersdorf’s top brands, NIVEA MEN has been a successful partner of Real Madrid since 2013.

Interview With Ben Polter About the LoyJoy Experience

“The Most Important Thing, Besides the Engagement, Is Also the Fun Factor”

1. Can you briefly introduce yourself?

Ben Polter: I’m Ben Polter, Global dCRM Manager for NIVEA, responsible for projects like the rollout of the Salesforce Marketing Cloud and the NIVEA MEN Fanclub for the Spanish affiliate.

2. How long have you worked with LoyJoy?

Ben: I’ve been working with LoyJoy since the chatbot inception, such as the successful NIVEA Advent Calendar chatbot. This led to the idea of an engagement project for NIVEA MEN in Spain with Real Madrid.

3. How did the collaboration with Real Madrid come about?

Ben: The idea came from our global CRM team who wanted an engagement campaign. Real Madrid’s willingness to cooperate and share their database made the collaboration possible. LoyJoy was the obvious partner for the implementation.

4. Were there any challenges in the early stages?

Ben: Yes, because the topic was new and there were unclear processes between stakeholders such as our global dCRM agency and lead agency, Publicis One Touch. There were also technical issues related to the consumer journey and data flow that needed to be redefined.

5. How did you synchronize with your CRM system?

Ben: We looked at several options for connecting the chatbot to the CRM, and ultimately found a way to have a smooth handshake between the systems for data routing.

6. How did you integrate the fan club with Instagram and what challenges did you face?

Ben: We wanted a seamless experience, so the chatbot launches directly within Instagram for mobile users without a platform switch, providing a good consumer experience.

“This leads to a very clear win-win situation and I can also map this very well within a chat experience”

7. What role did gamification elements play in the campaign?

Ben: Gamification was critical for engagement and fun, such as a quiz on match days. Prizes for passionate football fans were enticing and the chatbot was often recommended to others.

8. How did fans react to the “meet your idol” aspect?

Ben: Very positive. Meeting idols like Real Madrid players is a big draw for fans and makes participation a no-brainer.

9. What were the key factors for the success of the campaign?

Ben: The synergy of two strong brands, an engaging and informative chat flow, enticing prizes and knowledge enrichment were the main contributors to the high engagement rate.

10. How did LoyJoy contribute to Beiersdorf’s goal of a 1:1 consumer relationship?

Ben: Chatbots enable data enrichment to better understand consumers and tailor communications. LoyJoy enables this within a chat experience.

11. Were there any surprising results from the campaign?

Ben: The high engagement rate, completion rate and recommendations were pleasantly surprising and showed a loyal fan base.

12. Any advice for companies looking to run similar digital marketing campaigns?

Ben: Chatbots can add value depending on your brand and goals. Define your goals and chatbots can be effective for engagement or support.

13. How do you see the role of AI in the future of digital marketing?

Ben: AI is here to stay and will bring innovations that streamline interactions between customers, consumers and brands, requiring less human intervention.

14. Finally, will Real Madrid win its 15th Champions League title next year?

Ben: Quite possibly, especially if they acquire players like Mbappé. Real Madrid is a top team and will compete at the highest level.

Thanks again to Beiersdorf and to Ben Polter for this inspiring interview. We are looking forward to the next great years of our partnership.

— by Steffen Wichtrup