In 1977, Coca Cola left India and local brands rushed to capture the market space. McDowell's introduced Thril cola in 1983, which became popular with its catchy slogan. Thril faced intense competition from other Indian brands like ThumsUp, Limca, and Campa Cola. In the 1980s, soft drink makers used aggressive advertising and promotions, sometimes offering prizes like cars or tickets. However, according to a 1996 IIM Bangalore study, Thril failed due to wrong brand positioning as a "space-age drink" but only promoting through celebrity endorsements without emphasizing its technological aspects. The brand did not survive even as the cola market was growing.