Maria Sharapova Is Sony Ericsson’s Global Brand Ambassador

Maria Sharapova recently signed on with Sony Ericsson as its “first global brand ambassador.” She reportedly ended her three-year contract Canon PowerShot cameras. The exclusive sponsorship agreement means that the 20-year-old cannot get involved with another telecommunications company.

According to the press release, the contract calls for four years of exclusivity with Maria Sharapova, and the tennis superstar will also “work with Sony Ericsson’s design team to design a range of new products and accessories.” Maria is now using the Sony Ericsson W350i. The Sony Ericsson W350i is an EDGE phone operating on the 900/1800/1900 bands, whereas the W350a is a quad-band unit that’ll play a little more friendly with North American airwaves. Both iterations are scheduled for a launch in Q2 2008.

The off-court agreement complements Sony Ericsson’s 6 year $88 million global title sponsorship of the WTA Tour which was signed in January 2005 and is the biggest deal in the history of women’s sport. Sony Ericsson’s commitment to women’s tennis has energised the game by bringing fans closer to the experience and taking the sport to new audiences through cutting edge initiatives like night tennis – a fusion of tennis, fashion, music and dance.

"It is really exciting to be working with a cool brand like Sony Ericsson which has such a strong reputation in the entertainment industry," Maria Sharapova said. "Even though most people know me as a tennis player, I have so many passions beyond the sport like fashion, music, film and design; which Sony Ericsson and I are going to be exploring together through our partnership."