In 2018, Nivea entrusted Lavernia & Cienfuegos with an ambitious 3D design project with a dual objective:
- 1. Defining a coherent packaging design languagee
When Nivea approached us, the brand had identified the need to unify its packaging under a visual language that would faithfully reflect its DNA. We studied the company’s history, values, and positioning in order to develop a coherent formal language that would make its products recognisable even without logos or applied graphics. An in-depth analysis was carried out of the packaging’s three-dimensional form, its expressive capacity, and its role as a vehicle for conveying both product and brand identity.
- 2. Establishing visual codes and resources for different audiences
We developed specific tools and visual codes to segment products aimed at different audiences: unisex, family, male, and female. All of this was achieved while maintaining consistency with the newly defined visual language.
With this foundation in place, we began redesigning a wide range of packaging formats: deodorants (stick, aerosol, and roll-on), shower gel bottles, men’s products (jars and bottles), and even the brand’s iconic body lotion bottle.
The project spanned nearly six years and involved close collaboration with Nivea’s marketing team and other key departments, including category managers (body, face, shower, etc.) and the internal packaging team.
One of the first designs to emerge from this collaboration was the new bottle for the Nivea Men shower gel range, aimed at a male audience. The brief called for a design that would convey masculinity and efficiency while preserving the essence of the previous bottle.
We opted for solid, straight, and bold shapes inspired by classic codes of masculinity, blended with a more modern and sporty style. (The 250 ml format is widely used in gyms due to its convenient size for transport.)
Special attention was given to the bottle’s ergonomics, incorporating lateral grips to improve handling. Details were also carefully considered: the contrast of textures on the cap—a combination of glossy and subtly rough surfaces—adds character to the overall design.
Sustainability was a key requirement. For this reason, the cap was redesigned to significantly reduce the amount of plastic used compared to the previous model, without compromising the user experience.
