In early January 1996, Mr Peter Thomas, Senior Brand Manager of Biltek Tea (India) Limited (BTIL), was reviewing the recent sales performance figures of Jasmine, a premium dust tea brand that he was handling. Although Jasmine was the market leader in southern India, Mr Thomas was concerned about the stagnant growth rate of his brand, which was in keeping with the trend in the recent past. Being a significant contributor to the beverages profit centre of BTIL, it was vital that Jasmine grew at a significant rate in the coming years to accelerate the beverages profitability. Over the recent past, the market for branded/packaged tea was witnessing a proliferation of new brand entries, both national as well as local. In this context, Mr Thomas had to make decisions regarding Jasmine's overall marketing strategy for 1996-97, with special emphasis on the communication strategy.