Novo Nordisk rebrand drops Nordisk and turns the Apis bull right

Novo Nordisk said on 14 September that it will present itself as Novo. The Novo Nordisk rebrand also redraws the Apis bull in the logo and adds a new line, Lasting Health Starts Now.

The legal entity stays Novo Nordisk A/S

The change is about how the company speaks, not about paperwork. The legal name remains Novo Nordisk A/S. Shares still trade in Copenhagen under NOVO B. The short name goes on packaging, campaigns and the company’s own channels.

The bull in the logo now faces right instead of left. The company kept the animal from its old mark and redrew it. Everything else in the identity follows the short name.

Doustdar ties the short name to daily healthcare

Chief executive Mike Doustdar said healthcare “must become more responsive, relevant and easier” to fit into daily life. Novo also published a culture code it calls The Novo Way. It names four principles: customer obsession, competitiveness, clarity, and care and integrity. The company has more than 67,000 staff.

The move follows a wider habit among big brands. Sonos did something similar this month when it swapped the spec sheet for a feeling. Novo is doing the same with a name.

Eli Lilly passed a 1 trillion dollar valuation in 2026

The new name arrives in a hard market. Novo sells Ozempic and Wegovy. Eli Lilly answers with Zepbound and Mounjaro. Lilly’s market value passed 1 trillion dollars this year, while Novo’s share price has fallen since 2024. Earlier in 2026 Novo retired the Rybelsus name and put its semaglutide pills under the Ozempic and Wegovy names.

Capital Markets Day in London falls on 21 September

Novo will set out the strategy behind the name at its Capital Markets Day in London on 21 September. One question decides how much the rebrand means. Will Novo attach money to the new identity, the way John Lewis did when it lifted brand spend by 29 percent, or will the day stay on culture slides?