Zain: Brand overview
Established in 1983 in Kuwait as Mobile Telecommunications Company, or MTC, the company quickly broke new ground by becoming the country’s first mobile operator. In the following decades, the company expanded aggressively, extending its services to many Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Iraq.
In 2007, feeling the need to represent its expanded geography better, the company decided to rebrand and rename itself Zain. The following year was a watershed year for the company: it debuted on the Kuwait Stock Exchange. This initial public offering was a record-breaking one, becoming the largest in the Middle East at the time.
In the late 2000s, the company continued to expand its operations, including strategic acquisitions in Africa. By 2019, the company was operating in eight countries and had a customer base of more than 49 million. Today, it is a significant force in mobile telecommunications services in the Middle East and North Africa. The composition of the company’s shareholders is also noteworthy, with significant stakes held by Kuwait Investment Authority and Omantel, which hold approximately 25% and 22% of the company’s shares, respectively.
Meaning and History
1983 – 2007
2007 – 2019
2019 – today
The swirl on the Kuwaiti mobile operator’s logo is not alarming. It is drawn in smooth curved strokes and looks more like a ball of yarn than a swirl. In fact, it should look like a spool representing communication services. That is why it depicts thin strips connected together. On the right is the name of the company in a unique font with semicircular endings of lowercase letters. The letter “a” in the name also resembles a swirl, at least in the beginning.
The swirl sort of makes you think of people being connected to each other like threads in a ball of yarn. It’s not intimidating or overwhelming; it’s chilling. And the company name next to it, in a special font, seems effortless, too. Even the letter “a” joins the swirling motion. It’s like they’re saying, “Hey, we’re connecting people, but we’re not making a fuss about it. It’s all good.”
Zain color codes
Aluminium | Hex color: | #7f8285 |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 127 120 133 | |
CMYK: | 5 2 0 48 | |
Pantone: | PMS Cool Gray 8 C |