advertisements featuring the new company's visual identity.When GlaxoSmithKline spins off its consumer health unit later this year, the British pharmaceutical giant’s standalone business will become Haleon—derived from the Old English word “Hale,” which means “in good health,” and the Greek word “Leon,” which means “strength.”
On Tuesday, GSK revealed its new identity for the first time since the demerger was announced in June 2021 as part of a plan to separate the vaccine business, with Haleon generating around £10 billion in annual sales. Brands that’ll fall under the Haleon umbrella include the toothpaste Sensodyne; the arthritis cream Voltaren; pain relievers including Panadol, Excederin and Advil; the multivitamin Centrum and other well known brands like Nexium, Tums, ChapStick and Nicorette.
“The big change now will be the company on the back of the pack,” Tamara Rogers, global chief marketing officer of GSK’s consumer healthcare division, told. “And I’m sure as we stand up and stand alone and we become this incredible standalone health company that is focused single-mindedly on everyday health, not distressed by other categories, that we will continue to build that brand.”
Efforts to de-merge GSK’s consumer healthcare company were first announced in June 2021, when CEO Emma Walmsley described the plans to split as a part of a “step-change.” According to GSK’s financial records, the consumer health care business grew organically by 4% between 2019 and 2021, but the company says it is “well positioned” to grow as a part of the £150 billion consumer healthcare sector.
GSK is just one of several pharmaceutical giants that have rebranded in the past year. As Pfizer began distributing its Covid-19 vaccine in January 2021, it introduced a new logo celebrating its role in drug discovery. Earlier this month, the French pharma giant Sanofi ditched its bird logo and instead opted for black letters with two purple dots: One symbolizing the starting point of curiosity and a second representing the “eureka moment.