From the New York Times’ Michael S. Schmidt.

Even Joe Torre (above) raised his eyebrows when he saw the invitation for a fund-raising event his Safe at Home Foundation is holding later this month with Nivea, a skin-care company. Torre, whose foundation promotes awareness of domestic abuse, said he needed some time to figure out what the image on the inside of the invitation meant.

The outside of the invitation says, œRub and Be Rubbed, Grip and Be Gripped, Tickle and Be Tickled. Inside, it says, œTouch and Be Touched. Next to those words is a picture of a woman in black panties lying atop a man wearing jeans.

The words and images are part of a new advertising campaign that Nivea will start a few days before the charity auction takes place Sept. 14.

A day after Torre first saw in the invitation, he said he had no problem with it.

œWe have nothing against touching and loving touches, it™s the abuse we have something against, he said. œThe thing we are trying to teach and instruct and educate is ending the cycle of domestic violence, and this did not indicate any kind of violence. It was the opposite, actually.