Nutritional appeal for Horlicks by PI Design

SmithKline Beecham is repositioning its malt-based Horlicks range, which sells in more than 30 markets, across all its territories except the UK.

The new look, by PI Design International, has so far been rolled out in the Indian sub-continent and South East Asia.

India is Horlicks’ biggest market, where it is positioned as a daytime nutritional drink rather than something to drink at bedtime. It is this positioning that the global image is taking.

The new look is meant to be softer, more friendly and less medicinal. It uses food cues and a sun image to stress the daytime nature of the drink, according to PI creative director Amy Bridgman.

“The swoosh started out as a steamy swirl,” she adds. The logo now consistently appears in white on a blue background.

The new branding is to appear in the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, Africa and the Caribbean over the next six to nine months.

Variants include chocolate and malt drinks for toddlers and pregnant and lactating women, light options, biscuits, Malties pastilles and cereal drinks extensions.

A new design for the UK was introduced last year, created by Ziggurat. “It is inevitable that, at some stage, the UK [packaging] will be redesigned,” says Sue Evans, SmithKline Beecham category director for nutritional healthcare.

“It is yet to be determined if the UK will take [the PI design],” Evans adds.