In an article titled, Horlicks branded the coolest drink, the magazine USP Age says, according to a British newspaper, The Sun, the 130-year old drink has been granded the world’s coolest drink. The world’s trendiest bars, clubs, and hotels are stocking and serving the old bedtime favourite instead of caffeine packed coffee and tea. blah blah blah… Horlicks is the new fad in upmarket Britain. Can India be far behind?
How and when did the tipping point happen in Britain? Is this to do with alternate – read ‘pretend to live healthy’ lifestyle trends? This would be an interesting case study on how brands and markets tip – and move drastically on the perception plane of consumers…
But Horlicks? I like to imagine that Horlicks must be about the most hated drink in the world. However, I know it is not true… In India certainly, it sells like crazy in the South and East. Which makes sense since Horlicks was initially sold as a milk substitute in these milk strapped regions. (But what is interesting is that people in South India drink Horlicks not in place of milk, but with milk. Ok, I am not actually saying ugh here, but you know).
Glaxo Smithkline has been regularly contemporising the brand with newer variants and remix versions… But can Horlicks ever get actually cool in India? A brand traditionally presented as a token of your best wishes while visiting your sick relative (I mean ill, am not passing value judgments here).
(Till I read this, I assumed USP Age was A&M relaunched. Remember good old gossipy A&M? This certainly has the same feel and layout…)
Gossipy? and A&M? COme on. A&M was a very straight forward, business and no other nonsense mag. Now, The brief was cool and gossipy and bitchy and had loads of verve and spunk. But not A&M.
I hate horlicks though. Used to pronounce it Horselee (i was 4, and somehow, that’s how I could pronounce that name) and that somehow has stuck, creating some surreal impressions in my mind. But always liked VIVA. Now, that’s a better drink. Rich, tasty and nice name.
Wasn’t boost launched to help give GSK a shot in the arm? I remember some story told to me by one ex-ad guy who told me Boost was launched by good ol’ JWT to flank of competition and give gsk some breathing space. True?
I liked horlicks when I was younger, and I like it still. I have never, ever had horlicks/complan/bournvita/milo/etc with anything other than milk. I enjoy having a strong glass of the abovementioned before going to bed. Maybe thats why I can call horlicks ‘cool’ in some way .. yes, but can’t really imagine the whole populace doing that.
yeah, I suppose a lot of people grew up with Horlicks and it will be cool for them all ther lives 🙂 esp in Tamilnadu, I have seen Horlicks achieve cult status – the ‘special’ drink for guests and so on…. but a cool club/bar drink??? can’t imagine
maybe horlicks, chilled milk and a shot of vodka .. along the lines of a white russian maybe? 😉
ha ha… that sounds like just the thing! a healthy hard drink! a cool party animal with a healthy alternate lifestyle… what next :))
My sister’s children have a fitting name for it: Horrorlicks!
nowadays..horlicks s targetting only the children in their ad compaigns..so re branding it as cool drink for youngsters wil take lot of effort…