‘Flawless’ Enters New Era with Digital Efforts
Whether we like it or not, the Philippines has evolved to become one of the world’s biggest online communities. Ranking 8th among countries with the biggest number of Facebook users worldwide, the Philippines is also the 10th biggest Twitter nation with over 9.5 million active users. A great feat considering that only 30% of Filipinos have access to the Internet, these numbers served as the basis for Flawless’ most recent digital efforts.
Flaunt
Last April 2012, Flawless launched an online magazine on issuu.com to replace the brand’s monthly newsletter. Aptly named “Flaunt,” the digital publication is intended to be Flawless’ signature online editorial habitat.
“We launched Flaunt mainly to better get our message across an array of audiences,” shares Rubby Sy, CEO of Flawless. “The problem with newsletters is that only a number of people get to read them and they’re forgettable and lack impact. If you’re not part of our mailing list, the chance of you receiving monthly content from us is close to zero. Likewise, if you do, by chance, receive emails from us, there’s a big possibility that you’ll skip opening what we sent. Launching a digital magazine is the wisest way around these challenges. Not only are we now able to send out our messages across a wider market, we also do so using a platform that evokes the kind of lifestyle we promote—fun and dynamic yet sensible.”
Much like the brand it represents, Flaunt was founded on the premise of making beauty accessible to everyone. From beauty tips courtesy of Flawless’ acclaimed roster of Skin Professionals to stories of human interest, the publication aims to improve the quality of life people have by giving them the tools they need to achieve the most beautiful expression of themselves.
“In more ways than one, Flaunt is an extension of Flawless. This is why my team and myself strive really hard to incorporate as much of ourselves into our content. The Internet offers unprecedented opportunities for readers to engage with ideas and stories beyond those seen in traditional publications. Traditionally, companies have used their websites for sales and marketing. We believe they should also use their websites to publish,” Sy adds.
New and Improved Digital Domain
With more and more companies enhancing their digital presence, Flawless has also implemented new improvements in its website to extend its products and services to more netizens.
“This is the first time that we’ll be updating our website since launching it 2 years ago,” shares Flawless’ Business Manager, Drew Donovan-Mendoza. “After 11 successful years in the business, we thought it’s only proper we do something to improve the experience our customers get when they visit our site. It’s a very personal change; kind of like refurbishing your home. You don’t just want to improve the aesthetic aspects of the space, you also want to make it functional and most importantly, you want it to reflect your personality.”
Adding more value to its revamped look, the new website serves as a goldmine of information for beauty and wellness aficionados. It hosts Flawless’ full line of first-rate products and services including its revolutionary four-way slimming and body sculpting program, Shape & Sculpt. A separate section is dedicated to highlighting the brand’s franchise program.
“What do people need? This was the first thing we wanted to address when we were designing the new site. We want it to be a reflection of what we stand for. More than just serving as a platform for us to be able to reach a wider audience, we want the new site to serve as a portal where people can go and schedule consultations, look for solutions to their skin problems, make purchases—we want something that people can use and go to for their own benefit,” shares Donovan-Mendoza.
Flawless’ Marketing Manager, Patricia Mendoza adds, “In revamping our website, our main focus was not about our preference on design and features but more about improving the overall online experience of current and potential patients. The website design, navigation and sections were mapped out to reflect the mindset of someone looking for information on a certain product or service and ready to make a purchase decision. We want to make it easy and convenient for our patients to look for what they want may it be product information, how a particular service is done, nearest clinic location, inquire about franchising or simply to book an appointment with the clinic.”
“One of the main highlights of the site is the e-commerce. This was borne out of a number of requests from Filipinos abroad to make our products available for shipping to other countries. I’m personally very proud of this feature because it takes us one step closer to realizing this,” ends Donovan-Mendoza.
A New Voice
In its efforts to better connect with its target market, Flawless recently revamped the way the brand interacts with the rest of the online community.
One of the biggest innovations that really made a huge impact in the lives of netizens all over the world is the rise of social networking sites. Allowing people to stay connected, share information, play all sorts of games and expand their networks, these portals quickly found a way to fit in the daily lives of people regardless of their social and economic status. Realizing the unlimited potential social networking sites possess in terms of customer engagement, companies were quick to find creative ways to use the medium.
“Now more than ever, companies are able to extend their reaches. As time goes by, companies are getting cleverer in terms of building their brand’s reputation online. It’s a very tricky process because one wrong move can break you. However, if done properly, the rewards are well worth it,” shares Pat Mendoza, Marketing Manager of Flawless.
Known for introducing ground-breaking aesthetic concepts to Filipinos, Flawless makes another first as it revamps the brand’s communication tone in an effort to “speak the language” of its market.
“Language and communications are two very dynamic subjects. We’ve been observing online trends since last year and one thing we found out is that people respond better to brands who speak the way they do,” adds Mendoza.
Veering away from the usual corporate-sounding tone that most companies use, Flawless, as seen in their Twitter and Facebook accounts, now uses a more humble and personal voice to interact with their audience. “Pal’s talk really works for us. More than anything, it’s able to break this long-standing connotation people have that we are a high-end brand. This is something that’s never been done here in the country and something we really want to encourage others to do. Depending on the nature of the product and service you’re offering, you can customize a tone that fits your brand. Just remember to still keep it professional,” Mendoza ends.