Horlicks sees a 10% increase in market penetration with new social media & influencer strategy
Client overview
Horlicks is a cherished household name in the UK, celebrated for over 140 years for its nutritional benefits and comforting nature. Originally formulated to support infants and assist those recovering from illness, the brand has become synonymous with warmth and care. Loved by many, Horlicks is often associated with bedtime and relaxation, making it a staple in British homes across generations.
The challenge
Horlicks faced a significant challenge due to a decline in the hot malted drinks category, coupled with an ageing audience and strong associations with sleep. This led to a downturn in sales performance, necessitating a revitalisation of their brand presence. The task was to lower the core age bracket from 60+ to 35+, shifting the perception of Horlicks away from being solely a bedtime drink to appealing to modern, active lifestyles. Our goal was clear: to make Horlicks relevant to a younger audience and to communicate that it is more than just a nostalgic hot drink.
"What a campaign! Introducing Horlicks to a millennial audience was no easy task, but CTI Digital utilised clever, social-first ideas to tapinto online communities and position Horlicks as the new, must-have brand for young families. We're ecstatic with the results and couldn't ask for a better strategic partner."— Michelle Younger Marketing Manager
The approach
To successfully reposition Horlicks for a younger audience, we implemented a targeted strategy that centred on engaging consumers through interactive and relatable content. The campaign, titled “Moments to Share,” was designed to showcase Horlicks as a versatile ingredient rather than solely a bedtime drink. Through these carefully curated strategies, we aimed not only to engage and resonate with a younger demographic but also to establish Horlicks as a relevant, contemporary brand in the eyes of a new audience. Our strategic plan included the following key components:
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Injecting vitality through recipe inspiration
Research indicated that a significant portion of our target demographic identified as “foodies,” showing a heightened engagement with food-related content. We tapped into this interest by launching a multi-channel campaign that featured Horlicks as an ingredient in a variety of both sweet and savoury recipes. -
Interactive website competition
We developed an engaging competition on a newly designed interactive website, encouraging participants to submit their creative recipes involving Horlicks. The competition ran for a month and included instant giveaways to incentivise entries and star prizes for standout recipes featured in a dedicated recipe book. This approach built community engagement and enabled us to gather valuable consumer insights. -
Professional chef collaboration
To ensure the recipes aligned with modern culinary trends, we enlisted the expertise of a professional development chef. This chef meticulously crafted a series of delicious and contemporary recipes, drawing inspiration from participant submissions and effectively demonstrating Horlicks' versatility in everyday cooking. -
High-quality imagery production
A five-day photoshoot was organised to capture stunning visuals of the recipes and the product. Our team focused on creating a relaxed, light, and modern aesthetic that incorporated beautiful textures and thoughtful details, establishing a new visual identity for Horlicks. -
Engaging recipe book
We designed a “coffee table” recipe book featuring high-quality photography and a diverse range of recipes, made available as a free download on the campaign website. This book not only reinforced Horlicks' position as a multi-use ingredient but also served as a tangible piece of content to share with our audience. Printed copies were sent to competition winners and influencers to promote engagement further. -
Influencer partnerships
To broaden the campaign’s reach, we executed two rounds of influencer engagement. In the first round, we collaborated with 12 food influencers, chosen for their relevant content styles and follower demographics, to promote the competition and encourage recipe submissions. In the second round, these influencers created their own unique Horlicks recipes, driving awareness and downloads of the recipe book among their audiences.
The results
Through innovative engagement techniques and targeted messaging, we exceeded campaign goals and drove tangible improvements in brand perception and sales performance. The data highlights the campaign’s success and reflects how our focused approach resonated with the audience. The success of the “Moments to Share” campaign revitalised Horlicks and reaffirmed the brand’s position as a modern option for today's active families. The positive feedback and robust metrics led the decision to extend the partnership for further initiatives beyond the initial campaign, solidifying our role as a trusted strategic partner for Horlicks.
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We achieved 6,932 competition entries and 18,176 engagements, significantly surpassing all social KPIs.6,932entries & engagement surge
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The “Moments to Share” campaign delivered impressive outcomes, significantly reshaping the brand perception of Horlicks and driving measurable growth. The campaign garnered over 5,980 competition entries, exceeding the client’s KPI by an impressive 199%. A noteworthy 30% of these entries included participants sharing full recipes along with personal stories of inspiration, demonstrating deep engagement with the brand.199%KPI exceeded
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The newly created recipe book became the most popular page on the Horlicks website, driving double the traffic compared to the homepage. A staggering 86.8% of visitors to the recipe page were new to the Horlicks website, indicating that the campaign effectively reached a fresh audience.86.8%of new visitors
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Recipe videos produced as part of the campaign achieved an impressive 250K views within just two months, showcasing strong consumer interest in the versatile use of Horlicks in contemporary cooking.250Kvideo views
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The recipe book was extremely well-received, with over 20,000 downloads, demonstrating the appetite for new and innovative ways to incorporate Horlicks into daily routines.20,000downloads
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Most significantly, the campaign reversed a previous trend of a 10% decline in sales, achieving over 20% growth within just six months. This represents a substantial turnaround for the brand, showcasing the effectiveness of our strategic approach.20%growth
