Return to the Himalayas

The natural mineral water brand, which was acquired last year by Tata Tea, has rolled out its first commercial. Himalayan, as the brand was known earlier too, will be available in the retail market now

Himalayan, the internationally known natural mineral water brand is now a product of Tata Enterprise. Having acquired 31.73 per cent stake in the company last year and being the single largest shareholder as a result, Tata Tea is now the management in charge of the water brand that was earlier a product of Mount Everest Mineral Water.

The water brand, which was only present at fine dining outlets and institutions earlier, is now entering the retail market. Rediffusion DY&R is the creative agency for Himalayan.

This is Tata’s first water brand in the beverages segment. A TVC has been released for Himalayan, which endorses the brand’s credo, ‘Live Natural’.

The new package

“The thought arises from a fact that we all know – that nature knows what’s best for you,” says Ramanuj Shastry, chief creative officer, Rediffusion DY&R, who has worked on the campaign. “The world is going back now to all that is natural, like organic food, Yoga, etc.”

The commercial opens on a frame of a boy and a girl walking in the countryside, when everything around them returns to its natural state. The shawl that the boy has around his neck returns to the sheep that it once came from, the jute bag that the girl is carrying returns to the fields. Thus, all that has been processed in one way or the other return to their natural state. Finally, the boy and the girl look like they are part of an Adam and Eve play and they jump into clear water.

Old logo...

...New logo

“We have forgotten to live the way God wanted to us to live,” says Shastry. The ad ends with a voiceover that says, “Go back to nature with untouched, unprocessed pristine waters from the Himalayas that were for 20 years gathering nature’s goodness for you. Himalayan natural mineral water.”

The product has been repackaged. The logo has been changed too, though not too drastically. The new bottles retain the trademark pink colour that Himalayan is known for, but the packaging has five different labels. Each label across the bottle has copy that records the water’s life-cycle since it originated in the Shivaliks.

“Since the bottle acts as a contact point with the consumer, we thought of incorporating a conversation with the consumer so that he knows a little more about the origin of the water,” says Anisha Sarin of Rediffusion, who was responsible for the copy on the bottles.

The shape, size and logo have all been designed by Rediffusion DY&R. The logo hasn’t changed much, but it has a more liquid like flow to it, contrary to the very solid logo earlier. The new logo retains the pink in it and looks as though a “brook has been unleashed”, according to Shastry. The art work on the logo was done by Akash Das.

Tata has also tied up with various other consumer touch points. “We have tied up with the Taj Group of Hotels and Jet Airways,” says Sangeeta Talwar, executive director, marketing, Tata Tea. The numerous Tata Tea distributors will carry Himalayan on their shelves. Thus, very soon, Himalayan will be available at the many eating and drinking outlets in the country.

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