Toyota Kirloskar Motor on Wednesday signed leading Bollywood actor Aamir Khan as brand ambassador to promote its utility vehicle Innova in India.

The signing of Khan is a deviation from Toyota's global practice of rarely using celebrities as brand ambassadors.

Khan will soon promote Toyota Innova through media campaigns and ground promotion activities, a company statement said.

Since its launch earlier this year, Innova has achieved a sale of 18,000 units.

Khan will be an integral part of the second phase of the Toyota Innova's penetration across India to increase market leadership, the statement said.

Under the agreement with TKM, Khan will be at the forefront of key marketing activities, personifying values of Toyota Innova, it said. -- PTI

Photograph: Arun Patil