WILTON, Conn., Dec. 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Tonight, for the fifth year in a row, NIVEA will help millions of people ring in the New Year and prepare for that special kiss at midnight as the official sponsor of the Times Square Alliance's New Year's Eve Celebration. Leading the night's festivities will be NIVEA Kiss Ambassadors Mario and Courtney Lopez, who recently helped kick off the Brand's "Kiss of the Year" Facebook contest. During the world's most iconic New Year's Eve celebration, Mario and Courtney will introduce the winners of this contest, local Charleston, SC couple Seth and Allie Butler, atop the NIVEA Kiss Stage. "Mario and I cannot wait to celebrate alongside Seth and Allie tonight as they experience, what will probably be, the most memorable kiss of their lives," said Courtney Lopez. "America did a great job choosing the winning couple and we couldn't imagine two people more deserving of this unforgettable moment," shared Mario Lopez.

Of the more than 1,400 love stories submitted, Seth and Allie's stood out because of their true sacrifice. Due to military obligations, the couple has been forced to spend the majority of their first three years of marriage separated. Now, with Allie currently working towards a Pharmacy degree, and Seth away, training for a new assignment, the two of them will only have a brief moment to be together this holiday season. By the time Allie completes her academic program and is able to rejoin her husband, their "live-in" time as a married couple will total around five months over a span of six years of marriage.

"Our love for one another has helped us withstand the physical distance between us and will help us cope with the separation once again," said Allie. "Words cannot describe how thankful and appreciative we are that we've been given this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have our New Year's Eve kiss together, in front of millions of people," shared Seth.

In addition to the NIVEA "Kiss of the Year" couple taking the stage tonight, one lucky musician will be getting, what could possibly be, the biggest break of her career. Tiffany Alvord, a twenty-year old singer-songwriter, was named the winning artist in NIVEA's first-ever contest to support aspiring musical talent. After receiving the largest number of fan "views" of her cover video of the song, "This Kiss," Tiffany was selected as the winner among nine other aspiring artists. Tonight she will have the opportunity to sing her heart out to her largest audience yet, of close to two million people.

With lots of reasons to celebrate this New Year's, one thing is for certain, no matter where you are when the clock strikes midnight, it's important to be prepared for one of the most important kisses of the year. With the brand new NIVEA Lip Butter collection, loved ones and seeking singles alike can rest assured that they'll be ready to pucker up for an unforgettable kiss. "At NIVEA, it is our goal to build a more intimate society – especially in a time when we text more than we touch," said Magnus Jonsson, Vice President, Marketing at Beiersdorf, Inc.  "We want to give people the confidence to touch and be touched, by offering products that help deliver touchably-soft skin and kissably-soft lips – especially for a night like tonight.  

For more information about NIVEA lip care, NIVEA's New Year's Eve celebration, or to coordinate interviews with NIVEA executives and/or Mario Lopez and Courtney Lopez, please contact Katie Scarth, Katie.Scarth@pmkbnc.com.

About NIVEA
NIVEA is a leading manufacturer of consumer products for skin and beauty care. The NIVEA brand portfolio includes NIVEA, NIVEA Lip Care, NIVEA Body Wash, and NIVEA For Men. For more information on NIVEA, visit our Web site, www.NIVEAusa.com.

About Beiersdorf AG
NIVEA is owned by Hamburg, Germany-based Beiersdorf AG, a leading manufacturer of branded consumer products for skin care.  With over 125 years of experience in research and development, and a strong global presence, the company produces other leading international brands such as NIVEA For Men, Eucerin, la prairie, Juvena, Labello, 8x4 and Florena.  For more information, visit www.beiersdorfusa.com.

SOURCE Beiersdorf, Inc.