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MTN has been ranked Africa�s most valuable brand in the authoritative BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands2012 survey. Also rated is Bharti Airtel with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa with an overall ranking of 71 and brand value of USD 11.5 billion, Airtel has been ranked ahead of top global brands such as Citi (82), Sony (86), MTN (88), China Telecom (90), and Volkswagen (96). MTN becomes the first and only African brand to make the list, debuting at position 88 in the prestigious annual survey. Developed by leading research agency, Millward Brown Optimor, BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands is the only brand rankings that include consumer data as a component element in arriving at the brand value. It is the only brand valuation that takes into account what people think about the brands they buy alongside rigorous analysis of financial data, market valuations, analyst reports and risk profiles. The ranking is arrived through a continuous in-depth quantitative research on a category-by-category and a country-by-country basis. The research covers some 2 million consumers and more than 50,000 brands in over 30 countries The BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Brands 2012 highlights the continuing impact of recession, the ongoing rise of technology, and the growing power of emerging markets. In addition, the accompanying analysis identifies a number of themes that have emerged in the last 12 months and are having a significant impact on brand and business performance. Jennifer Roberti, Executive for Marketing, MTN Group, says the recognition by BrandZ is humbling for a young brand such as MTN. �For MTN, it�s about brand relevance. MTN has established a number of Foundations to work with our communities to address socio-economic challenges in our markets. We also continue to introduce products and services that add value to the daily lives of our customers and communities alike.� MTN is synonymous with sponsorship properties that are relevant, and thus connect with customers. These include its support for music and sport, particularly football, across its markets in Africa. Within its involvement in football, Africa�s leading mobile operator sponsors current African champions, Zambia; UEFA Champions League giant-killers, Apoel FC of Cyprus; four teams in South Africa�s professional football league; street soccer in Lagos, Nigeria; the football league in Swaziland; MTN FA Cup in Ghana; and is a broadcast sponsor of the English, German and Spanish leagues on key sports channels of the continent. MTN�s music properties include South Africa�s premier music awards, the MTN SAMAs, MTV Meets...with MTN, the MTN Bushfire Festival in Swaziland and MTN Project Fame West Africa. The latest accolade comes hot on the heels of another impressive achievement earlier this year, when MTN was rated the 188th most valuable brand in the world in the Brand Finance Global 500 survey. The study, released in March, saw MTN improve 12 places from last year.