Branding MENA Telecom Giants 101

While we all enjoy our Black Berries and iPhones, very few people understand the complex network of companies that control the mobile telecom market. Zain Group (Zain) and MTN Group (MTN) are two of the largest global mobile operators in the Middle East and North Africa, often competing for new contracts in the developing world. While they offer more-or-less the same services and products, their big challenge now is creating brands that connect with their target audiences.

Who would have thought that two telecomm giants could be so different?

Zain, formerly known as MTC Group, re-branded all of the company’s holdings to Zain in late 2007 as a way to capture the “energy, inspiration and diversity of the Group's customers, employees and other stakeholders”. With a presence in 24 countries in the Middle East and Africa, Zain’s advertisements unite under the slogan of ‘A Wonderful World.’ Fun, sincere, and heartfelt are the themes Zain has leveraged in its development of the brand. Celebrities like Omar Sharif have been recruited in Zain’s ad campaigns, which focus a lot on television and radio spots. Many of the skits are narratives that focus on discovery and enchantment. Saatchi & Saatchi have been responsible for a number of the company’s key campaigns.

Like Zain, MTN operates in 21 countries throughout the Middle East and Africa, although with a much heavier emphasis on Africa. MTN has taken a different approach to the Ad world, one that has earned them both great recognition and direct criticism. The company’s slogan ‘Everywhere you go’ is at the centre of their brand identity, although ads usually follow campaign-specific taglines (e.g. Go fall in love, Go be famous, You light up my life, etc.). In the television and radio world, their spots often feature abstract images, dances or songs, and have a much more contemporary feel than those of Zain. Many of their ads appear to be viewer created content, the kind of thing you would find in a random YouTube video. The agency OMD had a 13-year relationship with MTN as their ad agency, although shops like The Jupiter Drawing Room are now getting their chance to make an impact. Provocative and edgy, the ads both entertain and offend.

While many of these ads are incredibly funny, MTN has gotten into trouble a number of times for soliciting inaccurate information via website and SMS advertisements. They’ve even gone to court with Nando’s restaurant, accusing them of inappropriately using MTN trademarks in their own branding activities (a case that MTN won in a controversial decision).

Regardless of the publicity, it’s fascinating to consider how each of these companies build their brand identities. They operate in similar areas, offer almost the same services, and yet their brands are completely different!