GSK Becomes HALEON
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- Published: Tuesday, 22 February 2022 19:41
- Written by Peter Ingle
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Hello Haleon and farewell GSK. A new home for Sensodyne, Pronamel, Biotene and Corsodyl as well as Aquafresh and Poligrip
Some products are synonymous with general dental practice, and Sensodyne must be near the top of the list. Those of a certain age will recall most practices having at least one cupboard filled with Sensodyne samples, and fondly recall the popular “Talking Points in Dentistry“ CPD events.
For many years Sensodyne has been part of the GSK portfolio of consumer health products but that is about to change. GSK, as GlaxoSmithKline plc is better known, have announced that the planned demerger of consumer health products is on track for the middle of this year. The new company will be called Haleon. GSK is a vast enterprise including not just consumer health but also pharmaceuticals and vaccines. A multinational, headquartered in London, GSK is a member of the FTSE 100 index. Formed in 2000 and now with a market value of 80 Billion pounds, GSK has had its ups and downs. In 2017 the Institute of Directors named it the worst company in the UK, from a field of 103 top firms, in its good governance rankings. In contrast in 2021, it was ranked number one in the Access to Medicine Index. reflecting its efforts to make medicines and vaccines available in middle and low income nations.
The intention to split GSK was announced last summer following investor pressure. Seen for some time as an underperformer, splitting up the company is intended to allow “new GSK” to concentrate on pharmaceuticals and vaccines and achieve higher growth in its sales. The intention is that the two separated companies will each have a clearer focus.
The new company’s Advil to Voltarol roster of brands will include five distinct areas: Oral health, respiratory, pain relief, vitamins and supplements, and digestive health, plus a few other products such as ChapStick. The dental brands include the Sensodyne range, Aquafresh, Biotene and Corsodyl as well as Pronamel and Poligrip. The GSK branding has always been secondary on these products and it remains to be seen if the Haleon name is given a higher profile. The new name, no doubt the product of many focus groups and millions of pounds, was inspired by the combination of the words ‘hale’ as in hale and hearty, and indicating good health, and ‘leon’ which apparently is associated with the word strength. It will be used worldwide in the 100 markets in which the business will operate.
The Haleon branding has also been revealed, it features a green element as part of the logo and background, with mocked-up advertisements emphasising the companies environmental ambitions. A chart in the mock-up shows progress on sustainability, moving from the year 2000, “committed to better, to 2034 where it proclaims that it will be “100% sustainable.”
Whilst these changes are intended to make a major difference for shareholders and executives, with a CEO for the new group being announced, it is difficult to predict what else may change. Haleon, we are told, will be headquartered in Weybridge and is expected to also enjoy a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange. The new Weybridge campus should be open by 2024 and as well as corporate headquarters it will include a centre of R&D and innovation, and be home to a new state-of-the-art Shopper Science lab. The alarmingly named Shopper Science Lab is described as a research facility providing in-depth understanding of how and why shoppers make decisions and what influences their choices. It includes the world’s largest seamless touch-screen that allows researchers to make 3D visualisations of retail environments, as well as skin and facial biometric tools to analyse shopper’s subconscious and emotional reactions.
In response to enquiries from GDPUK, GSK have confirmed that all of their oral health brands will go to the new company. There was also an assurance that the separation will not trigger changes related to representatives and their activity. The Global Health Partner website will continue to offer its full range of services including educational material and sample ordering, under its updated Haleon branding.
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