Repositioning Horlicks in Pakistan

This research presents the concepts of positioning, re-positioning and de-positioning through a nutritional drink Horlicks; which is a malted milk-based drink fortified with vitamins and calcium. Single case study methodology was adopted. The paper reviews the journey of Horlicks since its introduction in Pakistan, its target market, positioning, promotional strategy, competitive situation and future outlook. Even though Horlicks is a famous and successful global brand, it hasn’t had smooth sailing since its launch in Pakistan. First of all, the product itself was not well received by the masses in Pakistan due to its malt based flavor. GSK did not conduct any pre-launch research, post launch study or marketing at the time of launch which resulted in lower sales and consumer response than expected. The product was repositioned to new market segment and proved to be a success story.