MTC rebranded as Zain on September 8 and it is hoped that the respected actor, who is best known for his roles in 'Lawrence of Arabia' and 'Dr Zhivago', will add depth to the company's message and underline the brand's global aspirations.
A new TV spot and radio spot featuring Sharif's voice are being rolled out across the Middle East and Africa, with the TVC appearing on channels such as MBC, LBC, Dubai TV and Future TV.
Recorded in three languages -- Arabic, English and French -- and launched during the holy month of Ramadan, the campaign builds on the Zain brand theme of "A Wonderful World". The campaign suggests the richness of life, with the night sky portrayed as "my roof" fields of flowers as "my perfume" and the ocean as "my pool".
The 60-second TV ad was shot on location in Dubai, South Africa and Milan, and was produced by Saatchi & Saatchi Beirut, with internationally acclaimed German director Matthias Zentner at the helm. Post-production took place in Munich.
Dr Saad Al Barrak, Zain Group's chief executive officer, said: "This is a bold move away from conventional product, service and commodity branding to a position where the brand makes a positive impact and real contribution to the lives of our customers."
Zain is one of the region's leading mobile telecommunications operators, with operations in 20 countries across the Middle East and Africa and plans to start operations in Saudi Arabia next year under the Zain brand. Four country operations in Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan and Sudan immediately re-branded as Zain, with the remaining operations re-branding in the future.
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