NOVU Fasthetics Pte Ltd clinches Health and Wellness Award at 4th SBR National Business Awards

The medical aesthetics group developed a brand encyclopaedia to bolster its rebranding strategy.

NOVU's rebranding strategy is highly commendable, allowing the company to evolve a clearer and more persuasive brand whilst making a noteworthy impact to its expanding demographics and staying true to its roots as a medical aesthetics chain that offers both high quality services without breaking the bank.

As a result, NOVU Fasthetics Pte Ltd won the Health and Wellness Award during the recently concluded National Business Awards.

Although the Singapore-based medical aesthetics group has a strong following due to its accessible treatments and convenient locations, it struggled with possessing a clear brand that embodied its status as a purveyor of safe, fast and effective treatments. It also failed to showcase its reputation as the largest medical aesthetics chain in the country and in the region.

Without clear representation of the company’s status as a disruptor in the aesthetics industry with its speedy and democratic approach, NOVU battled with branding and identity, falling short in terms of communicating with its audience, especially with its target demographics: the young and the global citizen.

NOVU saw the need to communicate clearly and compellingly to a younger, savvier audience who can greatly benefit from aesthetic treatments without breaking the bank.

With plans of expanding to new territories such as Europe and China, the company spearheaded a project for a consistent global brand that conveys the brand value of accessible medical aesthetics for everyone, not just the affluent.

As a new-to-market brand, NOVU needed to make a strong impact and a brand strategy that can be universally replicable.

“What we lacked was a comprehensive brand guide that clearly delineated guidelines that can be followed by our partners across the globe—from key touchpoints in clinics and stores to the right voice to be applied across all channels of communication,” said NOVU.

With these shortcomings in mind, NOVU decided to undergo an extensive campaign to rebrand doctor-developed treatments as everyday indulgences and not just occasional treats or luxuries enjoyed only by the elite.

The rebranding strategy began with an audit and was followed by mind mapping, collaborative meetings, research, SWOT analysis and creative brainstorming.

These steps resulted to a Brand Profile—a roadmap for setting the tone, position, voice and messaging of the company and enabling them to define its foundational vision.

After establishing the Brand Profile, NOVU developed a brand encyclopaedia, which covers all aspects of communications and brand identity. This brand encyclopaedia added value in providing an interesting brand positioning, as well as clarity to investors, and allowed NOVU to expand further regionally and internationally in Spain, Myanmar and Malaysia.

Following this, NOVU crystallised their brand value propositions and points of differentiation. The company identified the elements that made up the brand: visual expression, tone of voice, brand outreach strategy, and service programme.

NOVU ensured that this rebranding strategy stayed true to what the company truly was and what it stood for, whilst elevating its position as a game changer in the global realm of medical aesthetics.

With a brand book that lies at the heart of the company, NOVU was able to empower designers, writers, developers and other partners with a solid framework to align all their efforts towards developing engaging content and communicating compellingly to NOVU’s growing audience.

A momentous outcome was that the brand concept of being a game changer and having a distinct brand concept has allowed NOVU to capture key investors, with China's Sinopharm Capital and Cedarlake Capital putting up US$20 million in investments. With this, the brand has also merged with a Chinese company called Xingkeduo, which has close to 100 physical stores providing express haircuts and a proprietary technology system with artificial intelligence capabilities that would allow further expansion in China.

The brand book and the brand strategy now helps ensure that all messaging is relevant to the company’s brand goals, establishing a clear voice that resonates with NOVU’s target audience.

The National Business Awards, presented by Singapore Business Review, was held last 11 July 2019 at Conrad Centennial Singapore.

This year’s nominations were judged by a panel consisting of Henry Tan, Managing Director, NEXIA TS; Choo Eng Chuan, EY Asean Markets Leader and Partner, International and Corporate Tax Services, Ernst & Young Solutions LLP; Ng Jiak See, Executive Director, Head of Corporate Finance Advisory, Deloitte Singapore & Southeast Asia; and Toh Kim Teck, Assurance Partner, Foo Kon Tan LLP.

Check out the event photos during the awards night here.

If you would like to join the 2020 awards and be acclaimed for your company’s exceptional technology innovations, please email Eleonor Angeles at [email protected]