There's one brand in the Philippines that's known for its skin and body care products and services. It has 35 clinics across the country. With some known celebrities, it's likely to grow and develop in a faster phase.

The name of the company is Flawless. It's one popular face and body clinic. I'm writing this blog to comment on their new website. I'd also like to give my personal opinion and take on it's (new) brand.

Flawless is a former client of mine. Our company was commissioned originally to do its Internet marketing but to some unfortunate circumstances, the company simply decided not to pursue it. But here's my take on the business as I see it now.

One reason why we didn't continue with Flawless may be because the company listened to its brand consultant Jacqueline Thng, who questioned my company's credibility. In this blog entry, I'll try to recall everything that happened from day one. I'd like to share my story.

Flawless senior marketing officer by the name of Lianne approached me after I gave a speech on Internet marketing in Crowne Plaza Hotel. It was during the 1st Asia Internet Congress that I met someone from the company and I was very happy to learn about their interest in getting my company to help them out. Because of the excitement, Lianne and I met to initially explore what we can do together. After that, the company CEO along with Lianne visited my office and further explore possibilities.

I presented to them some portfolios that we have and what we have done for companies in the area of Internet marketing. It was in our office that we showed them exactly what we can do for Flawless, too.

Much to their enthusiasm, we were able to come up with a deal. We were hired as consultant to first do the website and second to implement some Internet marketing strategy for the company. Part of the Internet marketing strategy is the search engine optimization, email marketing, blog marketing, and social media marketing—all of which are our expertise.

We signed the contract and so we started the project.

We have completely setup the website. We have taught the marketing as well as IT staff how to operate and maintain the website. We have taught the Search engine optimization process. In short, we were able to do our part.

And then something happened. Brand consultant Jacqueline Thng came into the picture. After my speech in Kuala Lumpur, Flawless company management requested for a meeting at Shangri La Hotel. Fresh from my international speaking schedule, I faced the group.

In that meeting, they questioned me and my authority in the subject. They told me that they could have done the website on their own without spending so much. They said they can actually do the website on their own in minutes. And so on and so forth.

My suspicion is that Jacqueline Thng of Lexis Branding told them about the process of doing the website that involves Wordpress as a content management platform. LexisBranding is also using the same content management system. Therefore, they might have believed that I was fooling the company around, which is very unlikely. Why? Because our company knows what it is doing and we don't need their money. We understand that Flawless needs our expertise.

Cut the long story short, while I was still tired from my travel, we turned the deal off with no formal closure. That's how "professionalism" is for Flawless. Several times I tried to call for a formal closure but they simply wouldn't respond. Even though they still owe our company with an " amount of money, it didn't matter.

Seeing the website that they have today, it's simply nothing but the same. They use Wordpress as a content management system. It's also a blog type of website, almost similar with what we've done in terms of the process only that it's very far from what it could have been in terms of "returns."

Flawless Face and Body Clinic website is not Search engine optimized. That means that when people search for a particular service or product, they will not appear. Second, the website doesn't communicate to its supposed audience. It has no interaction. It only showcases what the company is or what it has. Third, It's boring. It's not appealing. Color in website development process isn't everything. The font color is off. It's not as readable as it should be. Imagine if you have like mature or old audience? With that size and type of font, you can lose several opportunities.

This new Flawless Philippines website isn't a functional website. It's not engaging its audience in a conversation. This is the kind of website that doesn't work. Why? I've stated some of many more reasons above.

I'm saying this because there are companies out there who would like to get into something big but simply couldn't make it because of bad decision and discernment. Am I saying that listening to Jacqueline is a bad decision? Well, based on what I observe as an Internet marketing specialist, it's likely to be a bad one. Jacqueline Thng may be a good person by with Flawless website right now, I don't think she's the person to handle the Internet marketing for Flawless.

Now, going to the new Flawless logo.

It's no brainer. When you look at the new logo of Flawless Skin and Body Clinic, what would you see? You're going to read it as Flawle8, and not Flawless.

There's one basic rule in branding that I know: Make sure people are able to read it.

Flawless logo today doesn't appeal to people who are new or unfamiliar with the brand because it's not readable. if you haven't seen or known Flawless before or if you haven't seen any of its billboards or read them in the newspaper, you will not recognize the brand. Here's what it reads: Flawle8. Flawle8 is NOT Flawless.

Try to look at the logo and tell me what you think (and tell me what you see, too!)

If I were to choose, I'd rather stick with the old logo: Forever Flawless. Why? Because it's smooth, it's continuous, it's telling what Flawless is about. Unlike the new logo which is a combination of stiff and rigid characters. Notice the letters F, A, and W. They are too rigid and pointed. Flawless logo should be gentle. It should not have any pointed part or letters.

In terms of tagline? Less is more? What does it mean. Does it really mean anything? No. It doesn't appeal to anyone for a specific claim. It could have been better if they put: The Philippines' Most Trusted Skin and Body Clinic. That's the tagline.

Why would people go to your clinic? It's not because "less is more." I can use that tagline to my pet shop or restaurant or book store. I can apply the tagline somewhere else. But people will go to the clinic because you are "the Philippines Most Trusted Skin and Body Clinic. That's it!

So as a brand consultant, I don't think Jacqueline Thng of Lexis Branding is also the best person to do the job. I stated some simple reasons above. I can still go on but I'm going to waste my time by doing that so I think that's it for the branding side.