MTN Group today unveiled its evolved visual identity, articulating the context behind the logo many have seen since 16 February 2022. It is just the second brand overhaul since the Group was founded in 1994. Back in 2004, the changes made to the brand resulted in MTN taking ownership of the colour yellow that is now synonymous with MTN. Importantly, it also helped to elevate the brand to where it is today, recognised as the most valuable in Africa.
The brand is an extension and visual representation of the Group’s refreshed strategy, dubbed Ambition 2025 and premised on leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress. Through the delivery of this strategy, MTN aims to accelerate growth by building the largest and most valuable business platforms and driving its industry-leading connectivity operations.
“Africa is a continent with enormous opportunity and energy,” says MTN Group President and Chief Executive Officer Ralph Mupita. “We want to play our part in harnessing her potential and supporting her progress by driving digital and financial inclusion. It is a well-known fact that the youth are central to achieving this potential. Whilst we remain focused on all our customers and stakeholders, our brand evolution demonstrates an enhanced focus on the youth.”
The new brand identity is modern, simple, bold, and digitally dynamic. It kicks off with a provocative and simple question, “What are we doing today?” With a clear and concise brand strategy that Opportunity + Energy = Progress, MTN understands that to truly unlock the full benefits and potential of the digital world, people require a combination of drive, progressive thinking, and the right tools.
This rebrand highlights MTN’s commitment to continuously evolve and explore innovative initiatives that provide value to all our stakeholders. A pioneer of progress from the beginning, MTN looks to drive this progress further through action and doing. In delivering its vision, MTN aims to drive a positive shift in Africa and harness the continent’s boundless opportunity. “Africa is never still. True progress can only be realised by ‘doing’,” says Bernice Samuels, MTN Group Executive for Marketing. “It is off this insight that we launch our new positioning by challenging, celebrating and providing tools for doers because when individuals, communities and countries progress, so does Africa.”
Brand Positioning: Q&A
Why has the company changed its corporate identity?
We have changed the way we see ourselves. We are refreshing our brand identity to align with our strategic intent to provide digital solutions to support Africa’s progress.
Africa is a continent with enormous opportunities and energy, and MTN wants to play its part in harnessing its potential and progress through driving digital and financial inclusion.
What has changed?
Let’s talk about what hasn’t changed first:
We believe very deeply in our distinctive assets, so our distinctive sunshine yellow colour, mnemonic, and much-loved oval remain.
Additionally, we will continue to use ‘everywhere you go’ which is synonymous with MTN across our footprint but have shifted it to have contextual meaning versus being used only as a signature or payoff line. As such, MTN now goes everywhere progress needs to go, signifying our commitment to Africa’s digital progress as opposed to being only network coverage related.
The most prominent change is in the logomark itself, where we have released the oval from its square box, and simplified its construction by removing the italics, removing the red underscore, and removing the solid colour of the oval, introducing just a solid black outline and with just three simple letters – MTN.
What does the new logo mean?
The new logo means MTN is a digital citizen, open to change, young at heart, inviting, digitally dynamic and progressive.
How long will it take to complete the rebranding project?
We are rolling out the new identity on a replenishment cycle, so as old branding and branded items are turned over, the new identity will emerge across our footprint.
Tell us more about the “What are we doing today?” slogan?
“What are we doing today?” talks to how as a group we are ensuring that our brand reflects MTN’s next chapter of building leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress.
In doing so, we are actively shifting the conversation to showcase how progress in Africa is reflected in the actions taken by Africans with MTN.
What is the inspiration behind the slogan “what are we doing today?”
“What are we doing today?” talks to how as a group we are ensuring that our brand reflects MTN’s next chapter of building leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress. In doing so, we are actively shifting the conversation to showcase how progress in Africa is reflected in the actions taken by Africans with MTN.
Why are you investing in this rebranding exercise?
A simple answer is that it is important and reflective of the evolution of MTN.
The brand refresh is for MTN as a telco Masterbrand, which is our connectivity business and foundation on which the other platforms operate.
In developing and designing this refresh, we are responding to the reality that whilst we were born into the analog era, our customers today, spend much of their time in the social and digital world.
So firstly, this refresh is to ensure that we respond to the requirements of our customers when they are immersed in their digital spaces.
Secondly, our consumers are younger, and were asking for a more dynamic, modern, simple, and emotive MTN experience.
Finally, the refresh is to trigger re-evolution of MTN as more than a telco.
Where can I send any follow-up questions I might have?
You can share it tomtngroup.pressoffice@mtn.com
How are you aiming to deliver on your strategy through a change in look and feel of the business?
The rebrand reflects MTN Group’s commitment to its Ambition 2025 strategy to build leading digital solutions that enable Africa’s progress across the telecom, fintech, infrastructure, API and content and messaging ecosystem.
Will this have an impact on service delivery at MTN?
The rebrand refresh was informed by customers to meet their digital requirements. Our customers are digital citizens, and the expectation is for us to be digitally responsive. The demographic of the African continent that we serve are a younger market who are digitally connected. This has inspired our refreshed brand positioning to become simple, consistent, yet striking and deliver a far richer customer experience.
Will the costs be passed on to me as a customer? I can imagine that this is not an inexpensive exercise
MTN is not a static business. As such we have an active marketing presence in the markets 365 days of the year and refresh or change our campaigns frequently. This refresh falls into our approved marketing spend.
How much is this process costing?
It is being rolled out in a phased approach over the top and terrestrially with many of the branded elements being refreshed on a normal business replenishment cycle.
Has there been a change in your competitive landscape that requires you to reposition yourself?
For sure. The digital world is seamless, and cloud-based. Consumers have access to any number of offerings and services beyond the confines of their countries’ borders. We want to be ‘front of mind’ i.e., the first brand they think of in their repertoire of choice.