Sharapova has signed a four-year sponsorship agreement with the mobile communications company Sony Ericsson. Credit: Reuters/Sony Ericsson.

Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications announced this week that it has signed an exclusive four year sponsorship agreement with female tennis player, Maria Sharapova, to become the company’s first global brand ambassador.

The Russian tennis star, who turns 21 in April this year, will undertake a series of consumer brand campaigns specifically designed to engage Sony Ericsson’s core target audiences and to utilise Maria away from the tennis court.

Maria will also be working with Sony Ericsson’s design team on a range of products and accessories.

The off-court agreement complements Sony Ericsson’s six-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.

Dee Dutta, Corporate Vice President and Head of Marketing at Sony Ericsson, said: “Now in our seventh year as a company, the brand has evolved significantly and securing a global brand ambassador is a natural progression to take our brand to the next level in an increasingly competitive market place.”

“Maria’s iconic status, determination, dynamism, success and charm match strongly with the Sony Ericsson brand, which prides itself on innovative and cool design with substance.”

Maria Sharapova added: “It is really exciting to be working with a cool brand like Sony Ericsson which has such a strong reputation in the entertainment industry.

“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."