Horlicks promotes nutrition through traditional art forms

The nutritional health drink's new range sports colourful and intricate Madhubani and Jamini Roy paintings on the packaging to make the brand culturally relevant.

Horlicks, the health drink brand from GSK Consumer Healthcare, has launched its first-ever special edition packs inspired by the traditional art forms of India. The new range, which sports colourful and intricate Madhubani and Jamini paintings on the packaging, is aimed at making the brand culturally relevant.

The illustrations depict children participating in outdoor sports and games, while emphasising the importance of nature. With this initiative the brand hopes to connect with consumers intuitively in a local or regional flavour.

For centuries, Indian art forms have been used to narrate tales and convey messages visually, and not just in words. Madhubani and Jamini are among the oldest known Indian art forms. Originating in villages and the tribal areas of the country, they depict the thoughts, hopes and dreams of the people, as well as that of the artist.

Madhubani or Mithila paintings are folk paintings from northern India. It is mostly practised by women in the villages who have over generations, passed on this form of art to their daughters. Jamini are paintings by Jamini Roy who wanted to convey the simplicity of folk life and culture through them. His (Roy's) aim was to make art accessible to a wider section of people, and to give Indian art its own identity.

Commenting on the same, Prashant Pandey, EVP marketing -- nutrition and digestive health, GSK Consumer Healthcare India, says, "Horlicks has always used innovative ideas to promote the one-point agenda of nutrition. The new, special edition packs help build a strong connect with consumers and also reinforce the fact that Horlicks was, and will always, be a part of the strong Indian cultural heritage."

The special edition Horlicks bottles are available on BigBasket.com, and customers will soon be able to purchase them from Amazon.in as well.

GSK Consumer Healthcare India claims to be the category leader in the Indian health food drinks industry with its two brands Horlicks and Boost. Its manufacturing plants are located in Nabha, Rajahmundry, and Sonepat. In India, the company has an engaged workforce of over 3,500 employees.

GSK Consumer Healthcare India also markets and distributes a range of everyday health products such as Eno, Crocin, Iodex, and Sensodyne. It has a marketing and distribution network of over 700 distributors and a direct coverage of over eight lakh retail outlets.

An associate of GlaxoSmithKline plc.of U.K, GSK Consumer Healthcare globally owns some of the well-known healthcare brands including Sensodyne, Voltaren, Theraflu, Paradontax, Panadol, Polident, Otrivin, Horlicks, and Physiogel.