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MTN dials 2010 to kick-off its Global FIFA World Cup campaign

Africa’s first and only global sponsor of a FIFA World Cup today officially unveiled its global 2010 campaign with a clarion call to action: “We can’t wait, Let’s go 2010”.

To be rolled out from this week across MTN’s 21 markets in Africa and the Middle East, the campaign got off to a cracking start at the mobile operator’s Johannesburg headquarters at a launch event steeped in 2010 euphoria.

Adding colour to the occasion was the presence of the FIFA World Cup winner’s trophy, rhythmic performances by musical groups and football fans from Cameroon, Ghana and Nigeria. Playwright and story teller Gcina Mhlophe delivered a poetic 2010 epic inviting the world to Africa.

There to witness the launch was 2010 FIFA World Organising Committee Chairman, Dr. Irvin Khoza, Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, MTN Group President and CEO, Mr. Phuthuma Nhleko and some African ambassadors, among others.

The MTN campaign is being launched amid mounting 2010 fever sparked by the fast-approaching 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in June, as well as by the sale of tickets for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ which went live worldwide about a fortnight ago.

“It’s an experience we can no longer wait for; one that should strengthen our competitive position in emerging markets, leave a legacy of improved infrastructure for our economy and demonstrate to the world that the African continent - and South Africa in particular - is capable of hosting events of this size.

“The 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ will be a huge boost for the South African economy, contributing in excess of R50 billion to our GDP, and will have benefits that will go beyond 2010 with an indirect impact that is likely to be more significant for our economy in years to come,” says Mr. Nhleko.

Unpacking the “We can’t wait, Let’s go 2010” pay-offline, Mr. Nhleko says it is a call to action that will reverberate across MTN’s 21 markets for people to seize the moment. It speaks to MTN’s strategic intent of uniting fans in our markets and beyond to be part of the first FIFA World Cup in Africa. MTN’s confidence in South Africa’s ability to pull off this major event is evidenced by the quantum of its sponsorship of the tournament, USD65 million, the biggest by a South Africa corporate in this event.

If Germany pioneered and popularised fan parks during 2006 FIFA World Cup, then South Africa – or MTN to be precise – will raise the bar by making the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ accessible to millions of people.

With the mobile operator’s exclusive mobile content rights for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, MTN customers globally will be able to get packages unique to them through the MTN Loaded portal.

“At MTN, we can’t wait to bring the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ to the mobile phones of millions of football fans across our markets in Africa and the Middle East,” says Mr. Nhleko.

MTN also announced that Michael Essien, the Chelsea middle fielder and Captain of the Ghanaian National football team (the Black Stars), has joined the MTN team as its proud 2010 associate to fly the mobile operator’s flag to the farthest corners of the world.

Essien, too, says he can’t wait. “Although I play football in the world's most competitive league, my heart is in Africa. Like millions of others from Cape to Cairo, I can't wait to be part of the 2010 action where I will up my game to showcase Africa to the world,” he said.

MTN is not only pleased to be working with Michael Essien, but also hoping to work closely with his mother, Madam Aba Djanode, who is engaged in the fight against malaria. The disease is the focus of MTN’s 2010 legacy programme to spread the benefits of the first FIFA World Cup in Africa by ensuring 100% coverage of affected areas with malaria bed nets by 2010.

Commending MTN’s commitment to football in Africa, 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee Chairman, Dr. Irvin Khoza, said: “MTN’s partnership with African football has been exemplary over the years. It took a brave company to support the sport of choice in Africa and to see the potential that others could not see. In sponsoring the MTN Champions League and the MTN African Cup of Nations, MTN chose to associate with African football at a time when the game on the African continent had few supporters. For African football, MTN’s support has been momentous and we look forward to the company continuing in that trend as it promotes the 2010 FIFA World Cup.”

MTN also announced that that some MTN PayAsYouGo and Contract customers will watch the 64 World Cup games live at match venues across the country as part of a Loyalty Programme called MTN 1-4-1.

By simply registering for the programme, you automatically get entered into the monthly MTN FIFA World Cup Ticket Draw. For every R1 you spend on MTN, you get one point loaded onto your phone almost immediately. The loyalty programme also rewards MTN customers with airtime, SMS and data bundles.