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Imagine "Dadima", an old lady, who epitomises the convergence of ancient wisdom and modern trend. Who knows everything about rock groups and how to tackle boyfriend problems, as well as, giving you the age-old solutions to common health problems. The Himalayan Drug Company has brought this unexpected, yet innovative and interesting icon to life for its customers through its products.
The general inclination of the people, today, is towards using natural, herbal-based products, every shampoo or toothpaste has an ayurvedic tag on it. In such a scenario, Himalaya chose to carve a niche for itself among the many players competing in the sphere.
The company has used its wealth of knowledge and research in natural herbal remedies to formulate a range of products under the brand name 'Ayurvedic Concepts'. This range offers natural solutions for daily use with no side effects. The products in the Himalaya herbals range consists of herbal-based products spanning health care, oral care, hair, skin and body care.
Re-branding
In 2001, the company felt that a branding over-haul was called for. The solution it found was to give the packaging a makeover and integrate its brands under the same brand name of Himalaya Herbal Healthcare. The objective of the exercise was to have a unified brand identity, by aligning the corporate and product brands with each other, which was manifested in the redesigned and revitalised 'Himalaya' logo. The advantage of a unified brand entity is that the equity created around the mother brand can be easily leveraged across the product portfolio.
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The advantage of a unified brand entity is that the equity created around the mother brand can be easily leveraged across the product portfolio |
The Process
The first step to marketing success is to home in on the target audience. The brand, the company analysed, is targeted at the modern Indian consumer who is willing to pay a premium for good medicine, and for those who believe in ayurveda but are not inclined to go traditional ayurveda clinics. According to Ravi Prasad, President and CEO, Himalaya Drug Company, "If you look at our product range, you will notice that we have something for everybody, right from infants and adolscents to the young adults, elderly women and men. Everybody can benefit from Himalaya products and as such, there was (and is) no reason for us to narrow down or exclude any particular section on the basis of age or segment."
Therefore, to distinguish Himalaya from competitors, the company adopted a new logo to contemporise the brand image. It was designed with a distinct font size so that the consumers can easily identify Himalaya products. The labelling and the print is bold, which makes it easy for customers to read them, even when placed in displays at pharmacies.
The current Himalaya logo is a visual definition of the brand. The leaf that forms the crossbar of the letter H evokes the company's focus on herbal healthcare. The teal green represents proximity to nature, while the orange is evocative of warmth, vibrancy and commitment to caring, associating the Himalaya brand with the promise of good health and well-being.
To re-enforce the brand, Himalaya initiated an innovative retail strategy of distributing products at branded outlets. For one, these outlets became a 'one-stop-shop' for the entire range of Himalya's products, which is generally not possible in smaller outlets.
The outlets also doubled up as 'Information Centres', with shop personnel trained to answer customer queries and disseminate information about herbs and their specific therapeutic and medicinal properties. The outlets are electronically linked to a CRM(Customer Relationship Management) Cell, which is supported by a team of medical doctors to answer specific customer health queries.
| While on a visit to Novo Sibrisk in Siberia, Ravi Prasad noticed little kiosks outside the airport. These kiosks were mainly makeshift shops with people standing behind tables, selling different products. And to his surprise, he noticed them selling Himalaya products! Being present in a remote place in another corner of the world is definitely a phenomenal achievement and speaks of a sound brand! |
Entering the world of advertising
Once product positioning was clear, it was important for the company to spread word to the consumers. Experts in the company believed, ayurveda as a science was plagued with myths and apprehensions. Hence the marketing initiatives of the company were aimed at dispelling them before Himalaya made a long-lasting mark in the minds of the clientele.
The ad campaign was conceptualised on a perception study done by the company. "Prior to launching our ad campaign, we did an extensive perception audit, the results of which were rather interesting," says Prasad. The study revealed that people's perception of 'herbals' was still based on traditional stereotypes. The youth in particular had little knowledge of the enormous health benefits of Ayurveda, he indicates.
The advertising initiatives undertaken had a four-point objective; to dispel myths about Ayurveda, to be educative and informative and at the same time, be interesting enough to appeal to everybody. Besides, it also had to establish Himalaya as a company, which pioneered scientifically backed and empirically researched ayurveda. The core focus of the communication was thus to connect to the consumers' mind that 'Ayurvedic Concepts' was an offering from the same company, that consisted of trusted, safe and efficacious products.
| The inception of Himalaya Drug Company makes quite a story. The founder of the company, M Manal went on a visit to Burma and saw restless elephants being fed with a root to pacify them. Like Newton's apple, an idea hit him. Manal had the root scientifically evaluated. After extensive research, an anti-hypertensive drug evolved. Since, Himalaya has used modern science to rediscover and validate ayurveda's secrets. |
Along came the granny
| A Dadima at ease with laptop computers and air travel, as well as, dandruff and acne removal remedies was someone credible, who represented the welcomed breach of the dadima stereotype |
The brand icon had to appeal to every age group. So Himalaya brought Dadima to the fore. Ads featured an old lady who not only knew about the trendy aspects of life but also knew the age-old solutions to common health problems. A Dadima at ease with laptop computers and air travel as well as dandruff and acne removal remedies. She was someone credible, who represented the welcomed breach of the dadima stereotype.
"When we conceptualised dadima, we thought of a grandma with a degree in molecular biology," says Prasad. Granny signified age-old wisdom, something revered in India, whilst the fact that she spoke chaste English made her accessible to the young crowd. By conveying her knowledge of age-old health tips and Himalaya products in fluent English, she connected with the youth and presented Ayurveda in a contemporary light. Unlike typical grandmothers, she was aware of the latest trends around her, be that in technology or fashion.
The bold and the beautiful and the young Himalaya were well received. As post re-branding, research shows that the Himalaya brand has been imprinted in the consumers' mind. Himalaya looks like an Indian MNC brand, which stands for international quality. "Today, the Himalaya brand name has a tremendous equity amongst doctors and consumers, which has been built up over the years with the help of safe and efficacious products," says Prasad.
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