Micromax gets Khiladi to play

Akshay Kumar has been roped in as brand ambassador, reveal sources

The brand endorsement 'khel' is heating up for the 'Khiladi' of Bollywood - actor Akshay Kumar. Reliable sources reveal that he has been brought in by Micromax, a provider of wireless telecommunication solutions, as the face for the brand.

Since it entered the market in 1991, the brand has never had a brand endorser to take it forward. With a recent switch in creative agencies and Lowe Lintas becoming its new creative partner, the brand is looking at a more active marketing communication.

Kumar has been brought in to appeal to its core target group, the youth. Some of the brands that Kumar currently endorses include Thums Up, Levi Strauss, Grasim Suiting and the premium innerwear brand, Dollar Club.

Micromax, which targets the youth with its tagline, Inventing Surprises, aims to build a strong presence by getting Kumar on board.

The telecommunication brand faces stiff competition from established players such as Nokia, Samsung and Sony Ericsson. Interestingly, Samsung's brand ambassador is actor Aamir Khan.

In a note to the media, Micromax reveals that it has allotted a sum of about Rs 100 crore for advertising - while Rs 60 crore will be set aside for above the line advertising, Rs 40 crore will go towards below-the-line activities.

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Micromax Akshay Kumar