MAM
Nivea takes humorous route to address winter odour
MUMBAI: The problem of body odour is usually associated with the hot and sweaty months of summer but people are surprised that body odour can strike even if it’s cold outside.
In a cluttered deodorants category where all brands talk about superficial fragrances, Nivea is trying to create year-long relevance for the category by driving usage of roll-on deodorants in winters to solve the problem of body odour at its source – the sweat under the sweater.
The campaign consists of four films that end with a funny twist, triggered by the sudden realisation of the protagonist’s ‘winter odour’. From an everyday cab ride to a reunion party, the films are inspired by all those incidences where body odour tends to make its presence felt.
Nivea India marketing director Sachin Killawala says, “There is a belief that people sweat only in summers and not so much in winters. Our research shows that this is not true. People wear multiple layers of clothing in winters such as warm inner wear sweaters, jackets etc. due to which they actually sweat quite heavily and that leads to body odour formation. The roll-on campaign is targeted to make the consumers aware of this winter odour caused by the sweat under the sweater.”
The task with this campaign was two-fold. First, make the audience aware of body odour in winters while also trying to create a single campaign that reached out to both male and female audiences. The key observation that led to the campaign was that body odour tends to be most obvious when one takes off their sweater or jacket. This helped in identifying situations where people were naturally inclined to take off their sweaters, and each film was crafted to bring out this ‘moment of truth’ in a fun way. Keeping in mind the sensibilities of both men and women, humour was the best way to tackle this.
DigitasLBi India head of creative for Mumbai Mark Mcdonald adds, “Advertising a deodorant in winter is a first-of-its-kind communication for the category and for Nivea deodorants. Given that we are aiming to establish a phenomenon that most don’t think about, we chose to keep the creatives simple yet fun. The situations used were everyday life situations that our TG can relate to, with a funny twist at the end that highlights the problem of body odour, even in winter. The films are done as a series – one winter day – giving us the opportunity to tackle multiple situations where body odour can strike.”
The slogan – #EndWinterOdour – serves dual purposes, creating awareness for the problem and giving it the scale of a movement spearheaded by Nivea. The films will be followed by a digital amplification plan.
MAM
Lego brings Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappé, Vinicius together
Campaign clocks 314 million views ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026 buzz.
MUMBAI: Four legends, one frame and not a single tackle in sight. Lego has pulled off a crossover few thought possible, uniting Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior in a single campaign ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 only this time, they’re building dreams brick by brick.
Titled “Everyone wants a piece”, the campaign features the quartet assembling a Lego version of the World Cup trophy, before placing miniature versions of themselves atop it, a playful nod to football’s ultimate prize. Shared widely across social media, the ad carries a pointed disclaimer: it is not AI-generated, a subtle but telling signal in an era where even reality is often questioned.
The numbers tell their own story. The campaign has already crossed 314 million views on Instagram across the players’ accounts, with fans hailing it as a rare, almost nostalgic moment particularly for the reunion of Messi and Ronaldo, whose last shared campaign ahead of the 2022 World Cup became one of the platform’s most-liked posts.
Beyond the film, Lego is extending the play with exclusive, player-themed sets tied to each of the four stars, part of a broader football-led programme designed to ride the global momentum building towards 2026. The idea, as echoed by the players themselves, leans into the parallels between football and play experimentation, creativity, failure, and triumph.
Messi described the sets as a way to bring on-pitch moments into an imaginative, hands-on world, while Ronaldo called the transformation into a Lego figure a rare honour, blending sport with storytelling. Vinícius, meanwhile, struck a more personal note, recalling childhood moments of building with Lego and framing creativity as a universal language that transcends borders.
The timing is no accident. With the 2026 World Cup set to run from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada and Mexico, and featuring an expanded 48-team format, global anticipation is already building. Argentina, led by Messi, will enter as defending champions, adding another layer of intrigue.
For Lego, the campaign does more than celebrate football, it taps into its mythology. Because when icons become figurines and rivalries turn into play, the beautiful game finds a new kind of pitch. one built, quite literally, by hand.
