Turkcell, the majority of whose shares are owned by the Turkey Wealth Fund (TVF), featured NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal in its latest commercial, a choice that drew significant attention. O’Neal, who made headlines last January by playing basketball with AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, quickly became one of the most talked-about figures on social media in Turkey following the commercial.
The amount Turkcell paid O’Neal, who captured the audience's interest with his charming demeanor in the ad, has become the focus of much debate.
According to a report in Sözcü, it is estimated that the payment Turkcell made to Shaquille O’Neal for this advertising campaign is at least 2 million dollars (approximately 90 million lira).
Although there has been no official statement, this figure has sparked public debate. Since a significant portion of the company's shares are held by the Turkey Wealth Fund, it is noted that 26.2 percent of the paid fee corresponds to the public's share.
News Source: 12punto
