Published: 16 April, 2009, 17:24
Edited: 16 April, 2009, 17:24
The tallest boxer in the world, better known as the ‘Russian Giant,’ Nikolay Valuev is helping Russian public services collect utility payments from debtors.
The WBA heavyweight champion, Valuev was the face of the advertising campaign aimed at increasing the collection of utility payments in six Russian cities notorious for persistent debtors.
According to Ludmila Vorobieva, an official from ‘Russian Communal Systems’, the idea to ask the 35-year-old boxer to take part in the campaign came about simply because “there are no real mechanisms of putting pressure on them.”
The company decided to use billboards featuring the picture of the smiling heavyweight champion in the hope of stopping overdue payments.
As a result, for the first time in five years, the communal services managed to collect over 100% of expected payments.