The advent of high-tech health

By Dinah S. Ventura

07/20/2008

The “world’s first well-being chair” sits right in the latest OSIM flagship store in Rockwell’s Power Plant mall.

The uSpace is a multi-sensory cocoon that takes the concept of massage chairs to a whole new level with its combination of light, sound and massage therapy. Inspired by the shape of the butterfly’s cocoon, the uSpace is today’s answer to total well-being, where one can escape from the aches and pains or stresses with just the flick of a button. It is high-tech health at one’s fingertips, and it is just one machine out of many that people today can make use of in order to achieve wellness of mind and body.

“This OSIM uSpace fuses the therapeutic qualities of sight (light), sound (music) and feel (massage) for a total sense of well-being that is unmatched by any other massage chair,” says Ron Sim, founder and CEO of OSIM. “It is no longer just about massage. The making of the OSIM uSpace marks a quantum leap, not just for OSIM, but for the entire massage chair industry,” adds Sim.

OSIM is exclusively distributed in the Philippines by Asian Therapeutics Inc., which is one of a group of companies owned and managed by the Borromeo Group of Companies (BGC), which also holds the GNC franchise (Healthy You Inc.) and exclusively distributes Billabong (Stoked Inc.).

OSIM, a global brand for healthy lifestyle products that originated from Singapore, currently has 16 outlets nationwide and 1,000 stores in 44 countries worldwide.

The brand’s first flagship store in Metro Manila opened just two months ago at the Shangri-La Plaza Mall. A second store was recently unveiled at the Power Plant Mall in Makati City.

“This is part of our commitment to bring the OSIM brand into every household, by providing them premium-quality, healthy lifestyle products. From intelligent massage chairs, innovative and fun fitness machines to ergonomic vacuum cleaners and air purifiers,” says Edwin Angeles Sr., brand manager for OSIM (Philippines).

According to Jose Vito Borromeo, vice president of the BGC, they thought OSIM should have the two flagship stores as Ortigas and Makati are key locations for their target market. “OSIM is service-oriented and health-related. It always has a lot of innovations, all centered on well-being,” he says. It is important that their clients get to try their wide range of products, he adds, which is why the stores’ layout was conceptualized to make shopping organized and customer-friendly.

The 165-square meter OSIM Rockwell store offers a full range of products covering four Health Focuses. The Health & Wellness section carries the fully-automated state-of-the-art massage chairs and reflexology machines. The Hygiene area is devoted for household items such as water purifiers, air purifiers and vacuum cleaners. The Fitness space is where one will find the audio-video equipped space-age treadmills and other fun exercise machines. The Nutrition portion showcases the world-renowned vitamins and supplements brand, GNC Live Well.

The bestselling and most intriguing among OSIM’s products are the massage chairs. There is the uPilot, the designer massage chair; the iDesire, for that first truly full-body massage experience; the iSymphonic, which amazingly synchronizes the pace of your massage to the music you’re listening to; the iMedic Pro, for complete relaxation; and last but certainly, certainly not least, the uSpace, the world’s first well-being chair that features, holistically, massage, synchronized music and therapeutic mood lights — Touch, Hearing and Sight.

The uJog is a treadmill equipped with ionized fan and a nine-inch screen where one may watch cable TV or DVDs while exercising. “We are targeting health enthusiasts and athletes,” says Borromeo. “Wellness is no longer a trend but a lifestyle.”

The OSIM Philippines team is determined to promote this new way of living through its high-tech products, which are reportedly selling quite well. Aside from personal use, they have been able to tap hotels, spas, airports and health and fitness centers. It is through OSIM that the concept of “chair spa” is born.

“We have numerous products for many needs. If you wish to surf, there is the uSurf, a wave-action exerciser that enhances your sense of balance. The uRobic, a new product that burns calories, trims waistlines and develops butts by simply sitting on it. OSIM promotes the fun way of exercising and unwinding, especially for those who live a busy and active lifestyle,” notes Angeles.

At OSIM, wellness indeed becomes a way of life.

For more information, call OSIM’s Customer Service Hotline at 723-OSIM (6746). Or visit the following OSIM branches: Health Plus, 5/F The Podium Mall and High Street; GNC, G/F SM Mega Mall Bldg. A; Powerplant Mall; G/F Connecticut Carpark, Greenhills Shopping Center; Upper G/F, Alabang Town Center Expansion; 4/F Rustan’s Makati; SM Cebu and SM Mall of Asia.

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