In a country where public sports and outdoor activities once thrived, nowadays just 50% of Russians have access to public sports facilities. NIVEA, a leading skincare brand, launched a unique nationwide CSR program ‘Vote For Your Skating Rink!’ aimed at reviving abandoned neighborhood rinks across the country to encourage Russian families to spend more time together outdoors engaging in sports, getting healthier and more connected. NIVEA left it to the citizens to decide which skating rinks would be restored: anyone could submit a local facility for renovation as part of an all-Russian online contest; winners were determined by voting so the new rinks would be given to the most active and motivated.

A comprehensive PR campaign involved dozens of media outlets and bloggers. A total of 338 entries were submitted; 46,000 people voted. Three cities got renovated rinks in the 2018-2019 season. The opening events were a celebration for the whole town, with an Olympic champion as a special guest. The results exceeded the previous years by a factor of 3.5x-4.5x and the new rinks became centers of life for each neighborhood.

Read the full case study here.