The LOVING TOUCH is a product produced by NIVEA and is intended to be used by hospitals globally, in their pre-term baby wards. The kit will be donated directly to hospitals, pro bono, once produced at scale of 500+ units.

15 million babies are born preterm every year. After birth, they are immediately separated from their parents and placed in incubators to aid their recovery. Studies have shown that skin-to-skin touch with their parents is vital for newborns as it increases their chances of survival by 36% As skincare experts, NIVEA believes in the power of human touch.

With its new global #CareForHumanTouch initiative, NIVEA supports skin-touch projects to promote the quality of life for people at risk of loneliness like babies born preterm, visually impaired individuals and elderly with dementia. The brand also aims to make 100 million people aware of the proven health benefits of skin-touch by 2025. Our brief was focused on their preterm baby initiative, to make a tangible difference for preemies while also highlighting the power of human touch to consumers.

Our LOVING TOUCH kit allowed us to replicate a parent's vital skin-to-skin contact for preterm babies isolated in hospital incubators. Working with premature baby specialists and a product design team in Germany, we created the first two LOVING TOUCH prototypes. Made from re-usable and easily sanitised silicon, The LOVING TOUCH kit’s shell can be adjusted to accommodate babies of different sizes. It is designed to make preterm babies feel embraced as if by human hands and held in a position recommended by our premature baby specialists. The laser embossed fabric of the cushion mimics the texture of human skin. The removable cushion is filled with organic, heat-retaining seeds and can be easily and quickly microwaved by hospital staff to warm it to human body temperature.

Our primary target audience is nurses in preterm baby wards working in hospitals around the globe. The kit will be distributed to them pro bono once produced at scale. Our secondary target market, to whom we want to bring NIVEA's ongoing global #CareForHumanTouch initiative to life is young parents and families, globally, aged 18-45. We targeted them with a digital and social content following the story of a young couple and their baby son, born prematurely at Hospital Sao Paolo. He was one of the babies to trial the LOVING TOUCH until he recovered and could be brought home.

06/08/2021 – 03/09/2021 - Specification of general idea with input from premature baby specialists in Germany regarding feasibility for intended user(premature babies) and target group (parents/nurses) with the aim to create a device that transports the idea of the „human touch“.

Mid Sep – Mid November 2021 Refinement of design + prototypes with design agency in Germany.

End November 2021 – final product development, incl. 2 prototypes

Trialled at Hospital Sao Paulo, Brazil, from 30 Nov - 6 Dec 2021.

The LOVING TOUCH kit was well received by both nurses and parents alike at Hospital Sao Paulo.

NIVEA currently looking at results and considering improvements to assess feasibility of producing improved units at scale of 500+ units for distribution to hospitals globally, pro bono. The LOVING TOUCH kit is also being patented.

NIVEA is a skincare company that strongly believes in the benefits of human skin contact, making it the core of its strategy with #CareForHumanTouch featuring in its consumer advertising but also with its global CSR initiatives.