Aamir Khan replaces Ranveer Singh as Vivo India's brand ambassador

Chinese smartphone maker Vivo on Monday announced the appointment of Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan as its brand ambassador for India, replacing actor Ranveer Singh who had been associated with the company for the past two years.

Aamir, whose films "Dangal" and "Secret Superstar" fetched unprecedented success for Bollywood movies in China, has been signed for future brand and product communication initiatives of Vivo India, the company said in a statement.

"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," said Kenny Zeng, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), Vivo India.

"This new association will enable us to explore newer avenues to reach our customers as we script our future growth strategy in India," Zeng added.

Aamir will soon be seen in a full-fledged marketing campaign around the upcoming products and a new TV commercial.

"Vivo as a brand embodies the spirit of innovation and meaningful disruption," said Aamir.

"Over the years, the brand has been constantly pushing the boundaries of smartphone technology. I am enthused to be a part of Vivo's transformative journey in India," the actor added.

The announcement comes ahead of Vivo's planned launch of the V9 smartphone on March 23 in India.

Industry sources told IANS that the latest device will be priced around Rs 25,000 and will feature a dual rear camera setup and a 24MP selfie camera.

Vivo V9 will come with iPhone X-like notch and primary camera setup and a "FullView" display, informed sources added.

The company had launched the Vivo V7 with 24MP selfie camera in the country for Rs 18,990 in November 2017.

Vivo also introduced a "FullView" concept smartphone named APEX that has the world's highest screen-to-body ratio and half-screen in-display fingerprint scanning technology at the Mobile World Congress 2018 (MWC) in Barcelona in February

Vivo has also been associated with popular sports platforms such as the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Pro-Kabaddi League in the country.

Vivo entered India in late 2014.

With a manufacturing unit in Greater Noida, the company has a robust distribution network across the country both online and offline -- catering to over 400 cities in 22 states backed by 400 service centres.