MUMBAI, NOV 17: If it's anyone who is laughing all the way to the bank after the success of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) TV show, it's the star anchor of the programme itself. In order to cash in on the success of KBC, term-lending institution ICICI has signed Hindi movie superstar and KBC anchor Amitabh Bachchan as its brand ambassador for a two-year period for a whopping sum of Rs 10 crore. Bachchan will endorse products and services of all ICICI firms from today onwards. After signing the agreement today, Bachchan said: ``I look forward to the challenging task of communicating a financial brand message to ICICI group's diverse customer base.'' ICICI has ICICI Bank, ICICI Prudential mutual fund, ICICI Web Trades, and ICICI Prudential Insurance under its banner. A billboard featuring the Lal Badshah, who was in red till he signed KBC, has been already put up in Mumbai while TV commercials are slated to follow. Says ICICI's joint managing director and Chief Operating Officer, Lalita Gupte: ``Our aim is to be a significant player in the area of retail financial services and his presence is expected to provide further impetus to the remarkable strides we have taken in this sector in such a short time.'' This is the first time any Indian financial institution has signed any film star to endorse its products. According to an ICICI release, Bachchan during his term as brand ambassador would play a key role and endorse the ICICI brand through corporate and product campaigns. Bachchan will also participate in select events such as new product launches, which could include the proposed insurance programme, and customer reward programmes, the release added.
