Indiantelevision.com Team

(5 December 2007 9:00 pm)

BANGALORE: ING Vysya Bank (ING) has roped in Indian Test cricket captain Anil Kumble as its brand ambassador.

At present Kumble, who has been retained as captain for the upcoming Australia tour, will be associated with ING for below the line activities, a role that has been donned so far by Australia's captain Ricky Ponting.

Like Ponting, Kumble will hold cricket clinics over the next one year to spot and encourage cricket talent in mainly tier two and three Indian cities.

Kumble also launched ING's debit card promotion "Want More, Swipe More."

While speaking on the sidelines of a press conference announcing Kumble's involvement with the brand, Sarin informed, "Since the past few months we have been doing about fifty to sixty ground events per month. Once we have the proper strategy in place, media advertisements, including TVCs' with Kumkle are a possibility."

At present ING Bank spends a fraction of what ING's groups Asset Management arm does towards media – just around Rs 8-9 million annually for BTL activities. According to Sarin, the spends will go up, what with the bank receiving licenses for another 57 branches (40 of them in North India). The bank currently has 407 branches.

Everest handles the creative work and Rediffusion the media buying for ING Bank.