The name ZOK, which is derived from the first letters of the three main participants: ZCC, Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs were carefully chosen for its simplicity, good ring, prominence and closeness to the three well established brand names.

“It’s long overdue. Football brands in South Africa have not extended the success and huge following of their brands to cover economic activities of their supporters.

"This venture, establishing stand alone economic brands, represents a new window beyond traditional sponsorship. Its success will change the sport branding landscape in South Africa forever”, observed Selwyn Nathan – the Chairman of SAIL, a sports marketing company.

The co-branding initiatives between leading South Africa corporate brands on one hand and Kaizer Chiefs / Orlando Pirates duo on the other has proven to be highly successful and profitable to those involved.

The annual pre-season Vodacom Challenge involving Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates and two teams usually invited from other countries in the African continent bear testimony to the support and success these initiatives enjoy.

ZCC’s participation together with Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs in the ZOK venture adds further impetus to a tried and tested co-branding strategy. The people of the country have never benefited directly from using the product.

ZOK ensures that from now on the product will benefit the people directly and immediately. This new joint venture ZOK, ushers in a new innovation in cellular, that will greatly benefit the people of this country.

“ZOK brings loyalty buying to what is effectively a commodity purchase. It brands and decommoditize something like airtime. Today even tap water is successfully branded.

The ZCC, Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs members and supporters will as they buy airtime and accessories also be exercising their loyalty”, said Dr. Irvin Khoza – Chairman of Orlando Pirates Football Club.

“A distribution network brings with it retails space that will help in club and church member activities that will in time increase the interaction our members and supporters will have with their respective organizations”, Mr. Kaizer Motaung, the Chairman of Kaizer Chiefs added.

A church elder, Rev. Emmanuel Motolla. Commented, “The ZOK initiative has the blessing and full support of Bishop Barnabas Lekganyane.

The Bishop holds a firm belief that unless the majority of the working class people in our country are provided with opportunities to participate in the economy, our country’s past will not be properly healed”.

“Bishop was specifically referring to the fact that at inception 5000 new jobs will be created”, Rev Motolla added.

This initiative has a head start. Blue Label Investments which currently is one of the largest distributors of prepaid in South Africa will be providing the back office support for ZOK.

“Only Dr Irvin Khoza, Kaizer Motaung, and His Grace Bishop Dr Barnabas Lekganyane could put a name as powerful as ZOK into one economic brand”, Mr. Brett Levy added.