The (Nivea) Boat That Rocked

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There were 1,000 guests – from 50 different countries – onboard a specially-chartered cruise ship. There were multimedia exhibitions, presentations and interactive installations. There was cake. There was Champagne. Hell, even Rihanna showed up to perform a very exclusive gig. As birthday parties go, Nivea’s centenary celebrations were something pretty special.

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The Moodie Report’s Rebecca Mann swiftly finds her sea legs

As reported earlier this week, the Nivea brand marked its landmark 100th birthday with a two-day cruise which departed from Hamburg, where Beiersdorf is headquartered. The guest-list was made up of journalists and consumers, in addition to around 300 members of Nivea’s worldwide team.

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Rihanna rocks the boat with an exclusive onboard gig

The event kicked off in some style with an onboard gig by Rihanna, who has dedicated a special song to the brand, and who also constitutes a key part of Nivea’s extensive new digital activation programme, created to support its 100th birthday.

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Guests were treated to some truly breathtaking entertainment during dinner

Rihanna received a rapturous reception from the birthday guests, who were treated to further breathtaking displays during dinner (this writer knows her dance, but I’ve never before seen a ballerina balance en pointe of top of someone’s head. And yes, I have photographic evidence – see pic).

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Nivea’s impressive birthday cake tasted as good as it looked

After dinner, guests partied in considerable style into the early hours, courtesy of a truly rockin’ DJ and a dance floor to die for. But that didn’t deter the hardcore (The Moodie Report among them) from showing up for a 7.30 yoga class, before breakfast, assorted workshops, interviews, and the main press conference, where the brand looked back over its history but also gave a glimpse of how it perceives the future.

It was, from start to finish, a mighty impressive celebration of a spectacularly successful century. Happy Birthday Nivea – and may you enjoy many more.