According to industry sources, the new product `Yorker' in the non-fizz or non-aerated category - which was launched with a cola colour and a special combination of flavours - was as much a `success' as Pioma's other popular soft drinks concentrates launched earlier.

The advertisement blitzkrieg created by another Ahmedabad-based company, Mudra Communications, has concentrated in the electronic media and designed capsules of 20 and 30 seconds for almost every channel.

When Mudra Communications general manager Aurobindo Mohanty was asked to comment on the expenditure, target and the ultimate results of the campaign, he said: ``It is not our policy to disclose such details of our clients. But,we can say we arehappy with the performance as the target group --that is, the kids --is satisfied too.''

When the company first considered the Yorker, it's idea was to introduce just another new product. But on seeing the euphoria over the World Cup picking up, the company decided to rope in all-rounder Kapil Dev to endorse the product.

However, the industry source points out that the amount spent on the campaign, the cost of bringing in a star-cricketer like Kapil Dev, the promotions where Kapil connected with 1,000 kids in Delhi and 2,500 in Mumbai, could have all added up to a fortune.

On the flip side, reaching out to the young customer during this all-India launch must not have been a problem for Pioma Industries. It already has a market share of over 80 per cent in the Rs 80 crore market for soft drink concentrates in India. It's biggest strength however is the built-in strong network of nearly 3,000 stockists and four lakh retail outlets --which is taken care of by 200 sales personnel for `Rasna' products, oneof the top 20 brands of the country.

The Rs 65-crore Ahmedabad- based company has been launching a new product at the rate of at least one every year, some of its previous brands being Aqua Fun, Jungle Fun, Rasna Royal and bigger jars for Rasna International.Rasna Yorker too was sold in concentrate-cum-powder form and could be made into 32 glasses of the cola-coloured drink.

Of course, with the World Cup over, will Rasna Yorker still be bowling next summer? Says Mohanty: ``Since three-fourth of the cold drinks are sold in the hot-dry months, it is too early to decide for the next summer.'' Don't be surprised though, if the Yorker quietly bows out of the India market --much like India's early exit from the World Cup.