Bharti Airtel appoints Ogilvy Africa to oversee Zain rebranding
Zain Africa CEO Chris Gabriel (right) and Zain Kenya managing director Rene Meza at a press conference. Bharti Airtel completed the acquisition of Zain’s mobile operations on June 8 for Sh856 billion ($10.7 billion). Photo/PHOEBE OKALL
Bharti Airtel, the Indian firm that acquired 15 Zain Africa operations has appointed Ogilvy Africa BV to spearhead its re-branding process.
According to a statement from the mobile phone firm, Ogilvy Africa, part of the global marketing communications services group WPP, will guide the telecom’s long-term brand building across the continent.
Account size
It will provide overall creative direction, media planning and buying for Airtel’s African businesses, besides executing campaigns in each of its African markets.
The company did not, however, disclose the account size, or its marketing and brand-building expenditure.
“We are delighted to be partnering with Ogilvy Africa in our endeavour to take the Airtel brand deep into the heart of every market we operate in,” said Mr Manoj Kohli CEO of Bharti Airtel International.
Ogilvy Africa was previously engaged with Zain for planning and media buying across Africa.
Bharti Airtel completed the acquisition of Zain’s mobile operations on June 8 for Sh856 billion ($10.7 billion).
Airtel expects to launch its own brand in the 15 nations by October-end.
This is also the largest overseas acquisition of assets in Africa by an Indian company, even though it does not cover operations in Sudan and Morocco.
The total customer base of Bharti Airtel now stands at over 180 million in 18 countries.
Team Airtel
Ogilvy Africa has set up a specialist pan-African business unit called Team Airtel.
This team will exclusively deliver integrated marketing services - advertising, media buying, market research and public relations - to Airtel across the continent with its existing network of offices.
It will also include The Brand Union, responsible for brand migration, Millward Brown for market research, along with Hill & Knowlton and Ogilvy PR for all public relations across all markets.
“Team Airtel’s role will be to bring the Airtel brand to life in every one of its African markets. This deal represents a further significant step forward for Ogilvy and Scangroup in Africa,” Ogilvy Group global chief executive Miles Young said.
