NEW DELHI: Kaun Banega Crorepati may well be a thing of the past, but companies are finding that they can still draw enormous cachet from the anchor. Luxor Writing Instruments has renewed its contract with Amitabh Bachchan for their leading brand, Parker.

During his term as the brand ambassador, Bachchan will play a key role in all major brand and product communication for Parker. He will endorse the brand through corporate and product campaigns on television, print and outdoor medium. In one of the earliers TVCs, Bachchan seems reluctant to sign an autograph. However, after writing with the pen, he cannot bear to part with it.

Director, LWIPL Pooja Jain says, "Bachchan's universal appeal will help us to effectively communicate our brand message to a wider target audience. We want to make Parker a Rs one billion brand by 2004. Mr. Bachchan's presence is expected to provide further impetus to the remarkable marketing initiatives we have taken in such a short time in this direction."

Established in 1963, Luxor Writing Instruments claims to have the widest range of writing instruments to cater to the various needs of each category of consumer. It manufactures and markets four brands in India - Parker, Pilot, Luxor and Papermate.