McDowell has also finalised a special brand initiative for the brand called Centenary Showtime to act as the prime activity. According to divisional vice-president Ashwin Malik: ``Centenary Showtime will be a continued investment initiative behind English theatre and films but it will be a zero-base budget activity.''

The plan to make Showtime a prime mover for brand building stems from the positioning of the brand. Positioned to fill the need gap between the prestige and premium segments, the brand is targeted for the discerning drinker who would like to upgrade his choice from the deluxe segment options available in the market.

Says Malik: ``The basic objective of the Showtime initiative is to build adiscerning platform for the brand -- a sign of good taste -- something the brand also offers.'' As the first effort in this regard, Centenary Showtime will be sponsoring a Naseeruddin Shah-starrer play called `(W)hole in the Head'. The frequency of sponsoring and promoting such events, according to Malik, will depend on the quality of productions available. The emphasis, therefore, is on quality rather than quantity.

McDowell is planning to support Showtime with other brand building measures like sampling and using key media vehicles to create awareness. Association with city-specific events will also be done. However, Malik said that no cross-promotion with other McDowell brands is envisaged at this point of time.

Centenary was launched this month in Karnataka and West Bengal to mark its promoter McDowell & Co's 100 years in the business and will complete its national roll-out by May. The sales volume in the first year are expected to be upwards of two million cases. According to Malik, ``The brand hasbeen heavily researched in every stage of development focusing on brand need, pricing, packaging, positioning and the communication concept.''

Responding to the resultant report, the brand is being packaged in a contemporary grid cut bottle which is already being used by the No 1 McDowell family of brands.