http://gsk-ch.in/Boost.

aspx

Boost has been one of the fastest growing brands in the Indian GSK Consumer portfolio. Realising that the energy segment had a huge potential, GSK India launched the brand as the 'Vitaminised Energy Fuel' with a unique chocomalt taste. The brand was launched nationally in the early 80s and has always been targetted at 8-14 year old boys. This is the section of population most enthusiastic about sports, and also with high-energy needs, in India. A ccording to GSK sources, Viva is based on the belief that a good start to the day ensures that rest of it goes well too. New Viva is Vitahelth, combination of nine essential vitamins (vitamin A, C, D, B1, B2, B6, B12, Niacin and Folic acid), Iron, Phosphorus and Calcium. Viva contains a natural goodness of milk, wheat and malted barley. Maltova, a chocolate health food drink, was acquired from Jagjit Industries in Feb 2000. According to GSK official sources, to kids Maltova is the fun health drink, which is extreamly tasty and makes nourishment truly enjoyable and exciting. It was relaunched in June 2002 with an enriched formulation and improved packaging. The relaunched Maltova had active rechargers, a combination of essential vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates. Maltova has again been restaged in November 2004, with an attractive new packaging that connotes an extreamely high taste appeal and a sense of fun and excitement.

Boost (health food)

Boost

Manufacturer

GlaxoSmithKline

Country of origin

India

Introduced

1977

Flavor

Chocolate

Website

http://www.gsk-ch.in/Boost.aspx

Boost is a chocolate-flavored health food drink manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline. It was launched in 1977 in India. Brand ambassador for Boost in 1986 was the cricketer Kapil Dev. Sachin Tendulkar became the brand ambassador with his debut in 1989. Virender Sehwag joined in 2002. Later in 2008, Mahendra Singh Dhoni became the brand ambassador. The product's slogan "Boost is the secret of my energy" is ubiquitous in India.

Introduction

Boost is a nutritional health drink, especially for children.[citation needed] Boost is one of the major players in the Rs 1400 crore Indian Health Food Drink (HFD) market. The HFD market has two segments: white powder segment and brown segment. Boost is a malt-based milk additive with the flavor of chocolate. It is one of the chocolate-flavored health food drinks made by GlaxoSmithKline, the other being Horlicks. Boost has a share of around 12% in the HFD market. Boost is positioned as an energy drink. The tagline "Boost is the secret of my energy" has remained a blockbuster all through these years. The tagline has highest recall among the TG. Boost is also the first HFD brand to be endorsed by a celebrity. It was launched in 1977 in India.

Manufacture
Boost is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline. GlaxoSmithKline is a United Kingdom-based pharmaceutical, biological, and health care company. It also has a Consumer Healthcare operation comprising leading oral healthcare products, nutritional drinks, and over-the-counter medicines. The brand became national in the 1980s. Glaxo rules the Indian HFD market with a share of around 64 %. The market is ruled by Horlicks and the leader is flanked by flanker products Maltova and Viva.

Market
Boost is a part of Indian Health Food Drinks (HFD). HFD is targeted at children aged 518. The market is huge since this is the age group that demands some kind of energy drink. The kids are active and playing during this age and the pressure is on the home maker to keep the energy level of the kids high using some drinks. Boost was innovative not only in the promotion front but also in product improvements. In 2002, as a part of its repositioning, the brand came out with Power Boosters: which contains Copper and Biotin. It was first of its kind in this segment. Boost also innovated in packaging. Over these years, the packaging became contemporary and stylish to reflect the changing consumer preferences. This was good enough to attract children. With competitors like Bournvita, Complan, Horlicks, this brand had to attract the children and provide them with a better, healthy, tasty, and nutritional energy drink.

BOOST LAUNCHES BOOST CRICKET ACADEMY http://www.gsk-ch.in/PressReleases3.aspx

Boost Health Drink
Proven Increases Stamina by 3 Times. - Boost with envita Nutrients Energy to do More Scientifically

Did you know?

New Boost increases stamina by 3 times+.

An independent scientific study conducted amongst 300 school going children over 120 days showed that children who consumed new Boost along with their daily diet performed 3 times better on the endurance test, as compared to the control groups and also had higher levels of key micronutrients for energy metabolism. Hence, new boost is scientifically proven not only to increase stamina by 3 times+ but also to nourish children from within to do more.

Ingredients:
Malted Barley (Extracted Solids) (63%), Wheat Flour, Sugar, Milk Solids, Minerals, Colour (INS 150c), Glucose, Salt, Acidity Regulator (INS 501 ii, 500ii), Cocoa Powder, Vitamins, Protein Isolate, Edible Fibre (INS 412), Nature Identical Flavouring Substances. Contains permitted natural colour and added nature identical flavouring substances.

BOOST MARKETING MIX

PRODUCT Boost is a malt based drink in chocolate flavor, with the brand philosophy being to continuously innovate and pioneer changes in the category. In 2002, the brand created history by relaunching Boost with Power Booster complety different product from any other HFD. The new boost contains copper and biotin, in addition to its extant composition of vitamins and minerals. Two serves of New Boost (approximately 30gms) as per the CODEX Alimentarius Commission of the World Health Organization, 1995, provide 50% of the daily requirements of vitamin B1, B2, B6, B12, A,C,D, Niacin, Pantothenic acid, Biotin, Folic acid, Copper and Iron and @%% of Calcium. The vitamins and minerals not only provide the adequate energy for the consumer they also help in efficient working of body cells, formulation of healthy blood and makes bones stronger. This re-launch has helped Boost capture the position of number one brown HFD in India. BRAND VALUES The personality of the Boost brand is distinctly sporty and energetic and everything from the tone of communication to packaging is done to reflect this vibrant energy. Today, the color red and Boost is the secret of my energy have become synonymous with the brand.

Price:

We are charging you more if you are purchasing 200gm and comparatively lesser when you are purchasing 500gm. The tendency behind this type of pricing is when you purchase in bulk you get at lesser price. Boost Weight(gm) 200 500 Price(Rs) Jars Refill pack 54 108 99

Consumer behavior: Energy drinks or milk drinks are perceived as a luxury. This explains the slow off-take. While white beverages are hailed for their therapeutic offerings, consumers look at browns as mere taste additives. Brand loyalties are not very strong as the key target, children, are always looking for new products. Hence our company takes a good care that our each and every promotion strategy is pertaining to our target customer which is the children between the ages of (7-14). Place: South has been the major contributor in making boost one of the biggest brown powder brands in India. Today the South zone contributes as much as 80% of the Boost sales and is a household name. In markets like Chennai Boost has approximately 40 45% household penetration. The advertising line Boost is the secret of my energy has become an ever-present line in every household today. Southern markets had contributed significantly towards the success of the brand. Boost has grown from a market share of seven per cent in 1985 to 24 per cent in 2002. Distribution Network of Boost

Promotion: Promotion campaigns such as freebies and contests also play an important role in influencing brand choice. These campaigns are mainly targeted at children who force their parents to buy these products. Free gifts like crystal jars, pet jars and sippers also attract consumers. It was Kapil Dev who was first roped in by the brand to endorse Boost in 1986, followed by Sachin in 1989 among the earliest brands that the master-blaster endorsed. Boosts growth as a brand is pretty much in line with the flowering of Sachin as a batsman, and from a shy kid who way back

in 1989 first boyishly intoned Boost is the secret of my energy to a man who can face fiery pace bowlers and hostile questions hurled at him with equal aplomb to Sehwag now, who will give a double boost to the brand along with Sachin. The company also announced the launch of this years Boost Cricket Cup, which it instituted in 1998 to promote cricket and identify talent at the grassroots level. This is now restricted to Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Bangalore, but would be extended to the rest of the country in a year.

Boost is one of the major players in the Rs 1400 crore Indian Health Food Drink ( HFD) market. The brand was created in 1975 by the company R&D team and test marketed in 1976. The

brand became national in in 1980's. Glaxo rules the Indian HFD market with a share of around 64 %. The market is ruled by Horlicks and the leader is flanked by flanker products Maltova and Viva. Boost takes on Bournvita from Cadbury's which is the market leader in the brown powder segment. The HFD market is having two segments : White powder segment and brown segment. The market is dominated by white powders. Boost is a malt milk additive with the flavour of chocolate.Boost has a share of around 12% in the HFD market.

HFD is targeted at children aged 5-18. The market is huge since this is the age group that demands some kind of energy drink. The kids are active and playing during this age and the pressure is on the home maker to keep the energy level of the kids high using some drinks.

Boost is positioned as an energy drink. The tagline " Boost is the secret of my energy" has remained a blockbuster all through these years.The tagline has highest recall among the TG. Boost is also the first HFD brand to be endorsed by a celebrity.

After the initial growth, the brand landed in the mature stage of PLC during 1980's with sales plateauing. The brand repositioned itself through a careful planned strategy backed by

consumer insigh

t. The brand realised that kids are strong

influencers of the purchase process for such products and once kids get hooked onto such drinks, brand loyalty can be assured. GSK also identified cricket as the vehicle to Boost the Sale of Boost.

During 1980's Kapil dev was roped in as the brand ambassador for Boost and as a cricketer, Kapil was considered an Icon by many . Boost got the energy from Kapil and GSK had found the success mantra.

During 1990's Kapil gave the baton to Sachin. Sachin endorsed this brand when he was in his teens. During those times, the ads showed both Kapil and Sachin together endorsing the brand and thus ensured that the transition is smooth. From 1990-present, Sachin has been endorsing this brand. I think Boost and Sachin hold the record for longest association between a brand and celebrity at least in India. (The kid who starred with Kapil for the ad was Nikhil Chopra who later played for India0

in 2000, the brand also roped in Sewag to endorse the brand. At that time, Sewag and Sachin

was

at

fire

as

the

opening

pair.

Boost was innovative not only in the promotion front but also in product improvements. in 2002, as a part of its repositioning, the brand came out with Power Boosters : which contains Copper and Biotin.It was first of its kind in this segment.Boost also innovated in packaging. Over these years, the packaging became contemporary and stylish to reflect the changing consumer preferences.

A brand will become successful only if the owner invests in the brand for the long term. Boost is a testimony of that. Over these years, the brand has been positioned and repositioned in tune with the consumer. During the late nineties, consumer insights showed that although the kids liked the promos involving Sachin, they felt somewhat distant from the brand ( because Sachin was perceived to be extraordinary). Realising this the brand changed its tagline to " Boost is the

secret of my energy' to " Boost is the secret of OUR energy". The ads increasingly gave importance to kids rather than the celebrity.

In 2005, the brand came with Choco Blast ( more chocolate) and Advanced Energy Boosters to counter the threat from Bournvita who now has the Chocolate taste of "Five Star" in it. watch the commercial here: Boost chocoblast

Boost is a super brand with lots of lessons for a marketer to learn.The brand continues to invest in it and has remained the favorite of marketers and kids..

RELATED TO HORLICKS HEALTH FOOD

REVITALISING WOMEN'S HORLICKS IN INDIA

Faculty Contributor: Moutusi Maity, Ex-Faculty Student Contributors: Arunava Saha Dalal, Giridhar Rao B.G., Navneet Chahal, Rohini Ramachandran, Suraj Holla Byndoor
Women's Horlicks is India's first health drink designed specifically for women's nutritional needs. It targets a hitherto untapped segment as identified by GSKCH (GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare), namely, health conscious urban working women, in metros and mini-metros, leading hectic lives balancing career and family. Women's Horlicks seemed to have all the elements necessary for success. And yet, at present, sales appear to be flagging, a seeming contradiction that presents an intriguing case for analysis.

To many of us, the name 'Horlicks' is entwined with memories of childhood - of getting up in the mornings and gulping down a glass before running to school, or coming back exhausted from a hard evening's play only to be rejuvenated by it. Since its creation by the Horlicks brothers in 1873 (originally intended as an artificial infant food), it has undergone numerous transformations. Though the first factory in India was built only in 1960, it soon became the biggest market for Horlicks1. Despite its popularity however, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Health Care (GSKCH), which manufactures Horlicks, has taken care to ensure that the product does not stagnate.

It underwent a revamp in 2003 with the introduction of flavours like Vanilla, Toffee, Elaichi and Chocolate to satisfy the discerning palate. What is perhaps more interesting, however, is GSKCH's strategy to segment the Indian market and to produce variants to satisfy each segment's unique needs. This is exemplified by products like Junior Horlicks, for preschoolers, Horlicks Lite, for health conscious adults and diabetics, and Mother's Horlicks, for pregnant and breast feeding women. In each case, GSKCH has striven to create a distinct and appealing image.

Women's Horlicks - What is New About It?

The latest case in point is the recently introduced Women's Horlicks. The basic marketing mix of Women's Horlicks is shown in Exhibit 1. GSKCH's latest offering is targeted specifically at the modern urban Indian woman who is historically known for putting everyone else ahead of herself. Women's Horlicks is designed to specifically address the health needs of women providing 100% of the daily requirement of iron, calcium, folate and vitamins B2, B6, B12, and C2. The target segment therefore consists of health conscious urban working women, in metros and mini-metros, between the ages 19-50, leading hectic lives focusing on career and family and hence not able to take care of themselves in the bargain.

Exhibit 1. Marketing Mix of Women's Horlicks In order to highlight its nutritional aspect, GSKCH is promoting the product both through traditional print and TV media, and also by enlisting the support of professionals in the medical field. In a brilliant casting choice, eschewing the current glamour dolls of Bollywood, Konkana Sen Sharma was selected as the face of the urban Indian woman of today, balancing career and home, a choice sure to resonate with most women. This, combined with the baseline, "Because your body needs you too!", starkly elegant in its very simplicity, captures the essence of the brand image GSK is trying to build.

GSKCH also introduced a Doctor Engagement Program wherein the company reaches out to physicians, dieticians and nutritionists to educate them about the product. This in turn, would hopefully lead to an official or at the very least, unofficial, product endorsement by these professionals. Their core strategy lies in grabbing the mind space of the consumers, rather than following the more traditional hard-sell route.

Reasons Behind the Failure of Women's Horlicks

Women's Horlicks appeared to have a hit combination - a winning brand, a double-edged promotional campaign, an excellent distribution system already in place, courtesy the other Horlicks variants and a well-established brand name. In spite of these advantages, it has not been able to make an inroad into the Indian health drinks market. This failure could be attributed to a number of strategic causes. To get a better understanding, we conducted a survey. The results, from 50 respondents, are shown in Exhibit 2.

Exhibit 2. Is the price of Women's Horlicks justified?

Price
The product is perceived to be expensive by the customers surveyed. Women's Horlicks is available in a 200 gm jar, which costs Rs.100 while traditional Horlicks is priced at Rs.124 for 500 gm3. This disparity in cost might be due to the special formula that is used to prepare Women's Horlicks but primary research showed that the consumers perceive the price difference negatively. The fact that the retailer's margins for this product is higher compared to that of similar products seems to further validate this perception. It can also be interpolated that at all stages of the value chain the margins might be in a similar range. This translates to an expensive product and results in lower sales.

Packaging
Moreover, one of the most important facts discovered through the primary research was that when customers opened the container for the first time after purchase, they were disappointed with the amount (volume) of Women's Horlicks in the container. They felt cheated and swindled. In other words, the container for the product was disproportionately

large for its actual content. This only served to add to the existing perception that the product is over-priced and deterred future purchases of the product.

Taste
Finally, the primary research also brought to light another revealing fact4. Women place an enormous amount of emphasis on taste even for health product as can be seen in Exhibit 3. Now, Women's Horlicks and regular Horlicks are fairly similar in taste; therefore, women inadvertently do not perceive a difference between the two products and hence do not find any justification to buy the more expensive product.

Exhibit 3 Most Important Feature of Health Drinks

Place
The combined effect of all these factors has led to sales figures significantly lower than predicted and with no signs of improvement in the near future. Possibly due to this lack of demand, Women's Horlicks is not easily available in all supermarkets and retail stores, further exacerbating the situation. Even where available, it is usually relegated to the bottom shelf, resulting in minimal visibility. Sales are low, especially in comparison with other Horlicks products. Thus, despite its high retailer margins, retailers are not enthusiastic to carry the product at their stores, implying that lost sales aren't significant enough i.e. they don't expect sales to increase significantly.

What Can Women's Horlicks do to Revive Itself?

Based on our analysis we believe that GSKCH could consider adopting the following strategies to turn around the fate of Women's Horlicks.

Price Rationalization
The sales of Women's Horlicks are lower compared to that of regular Horlicks and Junior Horlicks and consequently retailers hardly have an incentive to push the product. This is despite the fact that retailer margins on Women's Horlicks are higher than the industry average. Since our study indicates that there is a general perception about the product being

pricey, GSKCH should consider reducing retailer margin in order to bring down the MRP slightly and thus boost sales.

Alternate Packaging
One of the striking revelations of our study is that people perceive a mismatch between the size of the container and the volume of Women's Horlicks actually contained. This adds to the existing perception that the product is expensive and deters future purchases of the product. A change in packaging is therefore recommended, more specifically, reducing the container size to make it better aligned with the actual quantity inside it. Alternatively, GSK could consider increasing the volume contained in each jar. This would improve people's perceptions of the product's value-for-money, though at a cost of reduced profits per container.

Push Marketing Strategy

GSK did a fantastic job of TV advertisements to promote the Women's Horlicks brand. As a result brand awareness and brand recognition among the sample target population is fairly high. However, a very small percentage of this has translated into actual sales. This calls for an aggressive push strategy, because although awareness is already very high due to extensive TV communications, potential consumers have not experienced the product.

Aggressive Trade Promotions

GSK being the market leader in the health drinks industry could pursue an aggressive promotional strategy to give a free small trial pack of Women's Horlicks (approx. 50 Gms) with two large jars of any other GSK product line health drink. Such a lucrative offer will stimulate purchases on the part of the consumers and would increase the probability of it entering their consideration set the next time they make a purchase.

Revamp Taste
Consumers, especially women consider the taste of health drinks as a primary determining factor while choosing one. In this aspect Women's Horlicks has failed to create any differentiation, as consumers perceive no significant taste difference between Regular Horlicks and Women's Horlicks. This factor also results in cannibalization of Women's Horlicks sales, as the regular Horlicks is relatively cheaper. Therefore, a strategy to reconsider the taste so as to introduce it as a differentiating factor is recommended. A completely new flavour, associated only with Women's Horlicks, should be developed which consumers should perceive positively.

Conclusion: Is Women's Horlicks Ahead of Its Time?

There seems to be a disconnect between the intended core message of Women's Horlicks and the interpretations made by the target consumers. While the key emphasis appears to be the health aspect, from a consumer perspective, substantial differentiation from other Horlicks products appears to be absent. In addition, women in India generally consume health drinks when they are ill or during pregnancy. Since Horlicks already has a product for pregnant women, it is possible that it could cannibalize into Women's Horlicks' market. It is therefore

open to debate whether Women's Horlicks is ahead of its time in the Indian market. There is possibly a latent need for the product but at present Women's Horlicks hasn't been able to expose that perceived need and satisfy it.