NOVA Unveils Bold New Creative Platform with ‘Don’t Think, Just Nova’
NOVA Entertainment has unveiled a bold new brand positioning and launch campaign for Nova FM, featuring the striking call to action: Don’t Think, Just Nova.
Developed in partnership with creative innovation company R/GA Australia, the new direction will be supported with a multi-channel brand campaign and marks the next evolution of Nova: future-facing and celebrating the spontaneity, simplicity, and unexpected joy it brings to its listeners.
In an age where algorithms dominate and choice paralysis is ever-present, Nova is positioned in this new campaign as the antidote to overthinking. With a focus on delivering good surprises in a world filled with noise, the network seeks to offer a refuge from the constant grind of daily life. Whether driving to work, working out at the gym or doing the school run, Nova invites listeners to switch off their inner monologues and experience a joyful, spontaneous, unscripted world.
With Don’t Think, Just Nova, the brand is redefining its purpose around the idea of ‘good surprise’ – a concept that embodies Nova’s bold nature, the ability of live radio to provide moments of unprompted joy and the fact that it takes at least one of life’s decisions – namely what to listen to - off your to-do list.
Adam Johnson, NOVA Entertainment’s Chief Growth Officer said, “Coming off the back of consistent ratings growth and some record audience figures, we could have taken an “if it ain’t broke…” approach. However, Nova never stands still and, if anything, there was an opportunity to regain some of the brand’s distinctive edge whilst also shining a light on the category we love like all good market-leading brands should.”
NOVA’s Marketing Director Troy Pearce added, “Our partnership with R/GA has been pivotal in shaping our approach to redefining Nova’s brand positioning. The new campaign we have built together embraces something universally human, the endless loop of the overthink. Don’t Think, Just Nova shows how Nova understands the constant barrage of choices our listeners are forced to make every day and says, ‘it’s OK, we’ve got this one,’ when it comes to their audio selection.”
Seamus Higgins, Chief Creative Officer, Australia at R/GA said, “Radio is the last bastion of true spontaneity, and Nova thrives on that energy. We loved partnering with the team at Nova to do something disruptive in this category. Having fun with the overthinking and overanalysing that floods our minds daily and positioning Nova as the antidote is what helps this campaign to feel both fresh and highly relatable.”
To launch the new creative platform, Nova will be going to market with a multi-channel brand campaign across Cinema and TV, BVOD, Social and Digital. Designed by R/GA and brought to life by street artist Sofles, a 30-second brand film and extensive OOH campaign tap into the theme of overthinking, portraying an inner monologue of overwhelm, with switching on Nova providing the release.
Out of Home placements will appear across large format roadside, transit, street furniture, retail spaces, gyms and office buildings, reinforcing Nova FM as the antidote to overthought. The media campaign will run throughout 2025, supported by always-on social activity and brand activations that continually reinforce the new platform and brand positioning.
Credits:
NOVA Entertainment
Chief Growth Officer: Adam Johnson
Marketing Director: Troy Pearce
Marketing Campaign Manager: Sara Correia
Senior Brand Designer: Dave MacCue
Creative Innovation Company: R/GA
Managing Director: Victoria Curro
Chief Creative Officer: Seamus Higgins
Creative Director: Drew Singleton
Creative Director: Rachel Blacklaws
Creative Director: Henry Cook
Group Account Director: Josh Agnew
Executive Content Producer: Kyle Belcher
Senior Producer: Sebastian Leat
Executive Strategy Director: Marie Conley
Production Company: Collider
Director: Chloe de Brito
Managing Partner & Executive Producer: Rachael Ford-Davies
Executive Producer: Tom Slater
Producer: Georgia Moraitis
DOP: Lucca Barone-Peters
Editor/Animator: Sam Wickham
Colourist: Marcus Friedlander
Sound: Rumble Studios
Casting: Wayward Casting
Talent: Lib Campbell
Media Agency: Mindshare
Street Artist: Sofles, represented by Blank Walls
About RGA
R/GA is a global creative innovation company across the United States, Europe, South America and Asia Pacific. We help brands and businesses define, connect with and create more human futures. This includes brand, experience, relationship and communications design; media planning and buying; technology services, and specialised offerings: R/GA Health and R/GA Ventures.
About NOVA Entertainment
NOVA Entertainment is Australia’s leading independent audio entertainment business. NOVA Entertainment owns and operates the Nova Network, the Smooth FM Network, FIVEAA Adelaide, Star 104.5 NSW Central Coast and a suite of DAB+ stations including Smooth FM, Smooth Relax, Nova Throwbacks, Nova 90s and Coles Radio. The company’s broadcast offering is complemented by a range of on-demand assets across digital, social, mobile and podcasting.