Says Rajiv Kaul, director-partner-business unit, Microsoft India, ``We recieved a fabulous response to our World Cup contest on our website (www.inteconline.com/ms11). In all, 506 contestants got registered, which was 45 per cent more than what we expected. Also, in this form of contest, Microsoft and its channel partners could keep a track of their sales on a weekly basis.''

Of course, ittook more than cricketing flair to participate in the contest. Designed by New Delhi-based Intec Software Services, the Rs 30-lakh cricketing contest drew registrations from 506 channel partners out of Microsoft's total network of 2,500 channel partners.

The contest awarded runs on the basis of sales secured: that is, sales worth Rs 1,500 counted as one run. Any channel partner scoring over 300 runs was deemed eligible for the Microsoft World Cup Team XI--a lucky draw from 42 qualifying channel partners on June 7, 1999 selected 11 top performers who were flown (on June 18) to Lord's for the Finals. The team was treated to a four-day stay at the luxurious Hotel Cumberland in London and to-and-fro flights via Swissair. During the contest period April 12-May 26 1999, partners like Mumbai-based Integrated Business Solutions (IBC) scored a stupendous 9,000 runs (or Rs 1.45 crore), and Softcell Trade & Technology 4,000 runs.

Microsoft partners who scored a minimum of 200 runs were eligible for the MicrosoftWorld Cup Double Ton Lucky draw. Here also, 55 partners qualified for the contest, (which was more than twice the number expected), out of which 11 were selected from a lucky draw for attractive prizes like a Sony 29 inch TV, Sony handicam, Nokia 6110, LG VCD, Pentax Camera ESPIO, Tata Digital Answering, Samsonite Luggage, etc. ``The website has led to increased visibility for the company and better brand recall which is endorsed by the more than expected response for the contest,'' says Snehashish Bhattacharya, manager, value-added provider, Microsoft. Interestingly, the company's marketing initiative didn't receive a blow due to the early exit of the Indian team from the World Cup as the contest was built around the World Cup finals. ``It would have been an added bonus had India reached the finals,'' accepts Bhattacharya. For now though, Microsoft has reason enough to cheer its bottomline.