Brand strategy and rebranding
- May 18
- 2 min read
Updated: May 26
Novo Nordisk recognises that Ozempic has become a true cultural phenomenon and is therefore dropping the name Rybelsus in favour of the better-known brand Ozempic
The semaglutide franchise is changing up its branding as Novo Nordisk, seeing the cultural phenomenon that has become Ozempic, is retiring the Rybelsus name in favor of its better-known brand Ozempic.
Meet the “Ozempic pill,” a newly tweaked formulation of Novo’s Type 2 diabetes tablet Rybelsus, which is slightly smaller and uses a new coating and eschews its former badge. The Rybelsus brand won’t be carried forward but the tablets will continue under the iconic brand of Ozempic.
This changeup comes from two ways of thinking: simplicity in marketing and tapping into the success of the Ozempic brand. The Type 2 diabetes market is very complex, and there are a multitude of options.
The GLP-1 class itself has grown significantly ever since the introduction of Ozempic. Since the approval of injectable Ozempic in 2018, use of these drugs has gone up 10x in the U.S., and the market for these drugs has also grown.
Novo Nordisk wants people to know they can receive Ozempic holistically: either in a pen form or now in a pill and really try to simplify things for the customer.
Exploratory branding
The question, of course, is why Novo Nordisk launched its oral version under the brand name Rybelsus and did not immediately realise that it would have been better to strengthen the Ozempic brand. Given the ease of use of a pill compared to an injection, it is not inconceivable that the pill will become more popular than the injectable version. The new CEO, Mike Doustdar, probably realised that it is smarter to build a brand in a considered manner.
Another possibility is that Rybelsus was used to test the market first, a so called exploratory brand, with a view to rebranding the product under the main brand following success. Many manufacturers in the FMCG industry do this.
Michael Dijkstra Taurel /. Readge pharma naming www.readge.com
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