Chinese smartphone maker Vivo on Monday announced the appointment of Bollywood actor Aamir Khan as its brand ambassador. Khan will appear in an integrated marketing campaign around the upcoming products of the company, featuring in a new television commercial.
The 53-year old actor has replaced Ranveer Singh who was the face of the smartphone brand for the last two years. Singh and Vivo ended their association mutually in February.
“We are thrilled about the possibilities that our partnership with one of the world’s biggest superstars, Aamir Khan, will open up for Vivo in India. He mirrors the values of versatility, perfection and innovation that we steadfastly follow at Vivo. This new association will enable us to explore newer avenues to reach our customers as we script our future growth strategy in India,” said Kenny Zeng, chief marketing officer, Vivo India, in a statement.
According to celebrity managers, Aamir Khan charges approximately Rs4 crore per day of shooting taking his annual brand endorsement fee to Rs12-15 crore. Currently, Vivo is the only brand Khan is endorsing. His last endorsement deal was with e-commerce platform Snapdeal which had to be terminated after the actor made a remark in personal capacity about rising intolerance in the country. He was also associated with cola brand Coca-Cola, Tata Sky and Titan Watches in the past.
“Brands and Aamir have become selective about each other ever since the Snapdeal fiasco happened. Vivo knows the power of a celebrity and Aamir Khan is about class and making a statement.
The actor brings a certain level of exclusivity and I think that Vivo is trying to position itself as a premium brand now,” said Manish Porwal, managing director, Alchemist Marketing & Talent Solutions.
