Bata's strategy for Sundrops will include promotions, in-store visits and an advertising campaign featuring the actress, which may be extended to the electronic media. Said senior vice president (retail), Bata India Ltd, Edward Tkachuk, ``Our launch will coincide with the peak selling period in Calcutta.''

Bata has initially introduced 11 designs in the Sundrops range, but will progressively introduce more designs. ``The idea is to change the products displayed at stores every 90 days,'' Tkachuk points out.

Adds Tkachuk: ``We believe Rani Mukherji is the customer's perception of the true Bata girl as she is young, fresh, glamourous and at the same time homely.'' The company has a one-year contract with Rani, with the option of extending it by another year.

Senior vice president of the company, MJZ Mowla said:``though the Sundrops range ideally suits younger woman, there is evidence to suggest that the ``label will overcome the age barrier. The test marketing indicated an increasing acceptance by older women.''

The launch of Sundrops is only one of the many strategic marketing decisions taken by the company. Last year, for example, the company experimented with retail outlets by adopting an open store layout. In future, the company intends to launch new products only after successful test marketing.

According to Tkachuk, the company proposes to expand the Hush Puppies range of children's footwear, besides introducing European fashions in footwear.Although company officials are not yet willing to comment on the tangible benefits of the Sundrops campaign, volumes are expected to increase by at least a million units in the ladies footwear range.

Tkachuk believes that the company will be in a position to give concrete numbers only towards the end of the current year when actual sales figures are collected and analysed.