The roadshows have been named `Mahashakti' and were first held in Bhubaneshwar last month. After the resounding success, the company decided to move the show on to other states. The roadshow in Calcutta is scheduled on May 22 and 23. A company spokesperson told The Financial Express that this activity is only specific to the eastern region.

``For the southern states, Philips earlier organised a rural marketing drive. In that programme, the products were targeted for the rural consumers and it was a massive success.

These roadshows form the second phase of the marketing move and, at present, it has been scheduled for the eastern sector specifically,'' the spokesperson said.

After Bhubaneshwar, roadshows were also organised in Rourkela in Orissa, Jamshedpur, Ranchi and Patna in Bihar and Asansol in WestBengal. Sujoy Sen, general manager (east) of Philips' Consumer Electronics Division said in a press release that all these roadshows will generate better sales of the Philips range.

``Everywhere the consumers flocked to the shows and used the opportunity to experience the various products on display. We are confident that it will boost our sales,'' Sen noted in the press statement.

The spokesperson added that this move will help the company in make potential buyers feel more familiar with its products. ``Once you handle the product and experience it, chances of buying are always high,'' she added. In the Calcutta roadshow, Philips will bring in a wide range of products right from state-of-the-art televisions and hand-held computing solutions.The product range will include the flat television, the 11cm-deep multimedia television with plasma technology, which can be hung on the wall like a painting. Nino, the lightweight mobile computing unit will be another product. It is a pen-based palm size PC with thevoice recorder and notetaker application. A hand held computer Velo will be also be on display.Apart from these products, the company will also display DVD--digital versatile disc technology--which ensures a crystal clear picture and sound quality, the press release added.

Kaushik Roy, Philips' head of corporate brand strategy, said that the company's marketing initiatives are driven by the concept of developing new markets and familiarising the consumers with new products and the power of the brand.

``Traditionally, the east has been a strong market for us and over the years it has grown considerably. The exhibition, specially planned for the consumers, promises a first hand experience with the technology of tomorrow, for consumers in this region,'' Roy added.

However, the company is yet to decide on the marketing initiatives for the western and northern regions. ``We are discussing a lot of things but we are yet to decide on it. However, I can say that there will be another such marketing initiativefor the northern and the western regions,'' the spokesperson said. Clearly, the Philips brandwagon has only begun rolling in its quest for local consumers.