Saudi Telecom Company launches unified brand identity

RIYADH: Saudi Telecom Company (STC) on Thursday launched its new unified brand identity in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain to enhance its performance and role as a leading digital enabler in the Gulf region, and set forth on a new journey.

On this occasion, STC announced new offers for its customers including free international roaming in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain, 10GB of data free and 100 free international call minutes in all three countries.

Speaking at the launch the company’s CEO Nasser Sulaiman Al Nasser said: “STC’s new brand identity marks a new journey in digital services we are embarking on to enrich the lives of our customers and employees.

The group is proud of its beginnings in Saudi Arabia and success in Kuwait and Bahrain, thanks to the Saudis, Kuwaitis, and Bahrainis who represent the majority of STC’s employees.”

He also stressed that the new brand is in line with the company’s progress in the digital transformation of digital payments, media, and entertainment, in order to keep up with the digital revolution and rapid changes in the communication and information technology sector.

Al Nasser explained that the new STC brand translates its role and innovative services that enable businesses in different sectors to work more efficiently and economically.

The new identity also enhances STC’s brand value as the most valuable in the Middle East in 2019 according to Brand Finance, in addition to its ranking among the world’s top 50 digital companies according to Forbes ranking, he said.

STC has topped the MENA region’s digital companies by ranking 44th on Forbes’ list of the Top 100 Digital Companies around the world.

Al Nasser stressed that STC will continue to be a leader in the field, providing the best services and products and the newest technical solutions in order to meet present and future needs in entertainment, communication, and information technologies.

“STC’s infrastructure makes it a leader in digital empowerment for the public and private sectors in Saudi Arabia, thus strengthening the Kingdom's reputation in the Middle East and around the world,” he added.

Speaking to Arab News about unified brand Mohamed Rashid Aba AlKheil, General Manager, Corporate Communications said: "STC has always been the leader, not only in telecom it started but there has always been a great transformation throughout starting from being a government entity into a private sector and then our stocks floated in early 2003, the company went public and set a record turnout, so there has always been a continuous growth.”

“When STC decided 10 years ago to expand in Kuwait and Bahrain, there has always been added value in that relationship. Now this unified brand identity gives the strength and the first outcome of this was when we launched the 5G on commercial basis at one time early in June, so this reflects not only the strength of STC in Saudi Arabia but the role it plays for the region as well, and we expect this to be better for customers and partners as well, when it comes to wholesale and digital solutions,” he said adding that STC is thinking seriously on providing e-payment solution STC Pay in Bahrain and Kuwait.

He said STC closed outlets last year to take people to use official app “My STC”, an app that is providing a 100 percent service and can be accessed through the platform on smart devices, including free delivery of devices and SIM cards to clients.

He confirmed that unifying the STC brand came as a result of a study which indicates that 92 percent of STC clients recognize the company with this name.

AlKheil said that the new brand is not just a logo, but a set of visual, audio and verbal communication tools and sensory expressions which translate an integrated experience about the company.

He added that the launch of the new brand reflects part of the group’s vitality as a leading digital enabler locally, regionally and globally that creates new jobs and business opportunities.

On the role of digital empowerment in promoting local content Abdullah Al-Kanhl, SVP, Corporate Affairs said that the company launched its strategy for local content through the “Rawafed” program in 2017, which contributed about SR4 billion in supporting local content and localization of the technology industry, pointing out that the company has worked nearly a decade to support resettlement opportunities in different sectors such as optical fiber networks.

He noted that the business incubator “InspirU" supports youth innovation projects through providing them with financial and qualitative support in partnership with experts from Silicon Valley, as well as providing all capabilities for these promising projects.

“Today, InspirU embraces 28 projects with investments amounting to SR60 million, while the market value of these investments is SR300 million. We are proud that InspirU’s supported projects have achieved 16 million users and contribute to creating 160,000 jobs, including part-time jobs,” he said.

Mohammed Al-Abbadi, VP, Strategy Execution and Corporate Performance, explained the journey of changing STC’s brand, saying: “Launching our “DARE” strategy was part of STC’s journey in digital transformation and growth with new paths. As part of this journey, we decided to launch the new brand for STC group to enable digitization and open new paths beyond telecommunications, which is an extension of the development and transformation process that STC has been working on for years. The development of the Group's new brand will be accompanied by a new start in the framework of STC towards playing a major role in enhancing the digital future locally and regionally.”