Courtesy of Chucknorris.com

Legendary action hero Chuck Norris is set to become the new face of Polish lender Bank Zachodni WBK, replacing Spanish actor Antonio Banderas, who featured in a cash-loan campaign for the bank last year.

Mr Norris, who has starred in classic movies such as “Way of the Dragon” and “The Delta Force,” was in Poland last week for four days of recording. And although it was his first visit to the country, the American martial arts expert said he was definitely planning to return again in the future.

Speaking about the choice of Mr Norris for the bank's new ad campaign, Artur Sikora, head of corporate communication and marketing for BZ WBK told WBJ.pl: “Chuck Norris is very popular in Poland. He's a living legend, a nexus between generations ... He fits our brand. He's energetic, dynamic, fair and righteous – always on the good guys' side in his roles.”

“It's going to be our funniest campaign ever,” added Mr Sikora. “The reason Mr Norris chose the offer to star in our newest campaign was because he also found the scripts funny. He has a great sense of humor.”

Hiring foreign celebrities to advertise its products has brought good results for BZ WBK in recent years. According to Mr Sikora, celebrities in ads, particularly foreign ones, ensure distinctiveness of communication and are welcomed by the Polish public.

In 2009, BZ WBK added zł.4 billion in bank deposits, following Danny DeVito's 2009 advertisements, with the American actor having taken over after another successful campaign starring Monty Python actor John Cleese.

Veronika Joy