News from the MMA Mobile Marketing Forum

LOS ANGELES, US: During this week's MMA Mobile Marketing Forum in Los Angeles, the MMA (Mobile Marketing Association) announced that The Coca-Cola Company has joined the MMA's Premium Membership tier and Microsoft Advertising, the first-ever Premium Member, has renewed its participation for a two-year term.

Launched in November 2009, MMA's Premium Membership is an exclusive tier for a limited number of companies that have substantial global influence and leadership in the mobile marketing industry.

The Coca-Cola Company will join Alcatel-Lucent and Microsoft Advertising as Premium Members. The Premium Membership tier brings together "market-making" companies with the scale, scope and resources to affect genuine change in the marketplace to the benefit of the worldwide mobile marketing industry. These companies provide leadership by accelerating innovation, removing critical industry blockers and expanding industry awareness of the benefit of mobile marketing. Premium Members commit themselves to long-term, concerted and collaborative efforts through the MMA to build the industry.

Partnership brings benefits

"We are thrilled to have the continued commitment of Microsoft, as its leadership and global strength are beneficial to the entire ecosystem," said Greg Stuart, MMA CEO. "Adding The Coca-Cola Company to the MMA Premium Membership tier will only further benefit our members, broadening our capability to support everyone worldwide."

"Over the past year, we have strongly benefited from our partnership with MMA as the first premier sponsor, and - as we look forward to 2011 - we plan to expand our partnership with the Mobile Marketing Association through market education activities such as case studies, webinars and research in the US, Western Europe and beyond," said Jamie Wells, Director of Global Trade Marketing, Mobile Advertising Solutions, at Microsoft Corporation. "With delivering innovative advertising solutions remaining a key focus area, we will continue collaborating with MMA members and key industry players on bold new mobile platforms such as Windows Phone 7 and the next wave of mobile advertising solutions, including apps, search, rich media and commerce."

Each with a particular focus

"The MMA's commitment to creating a viable and productive ecosystem is important," said Tom Daly, group manager, Global Connections at The Coca Cola Company. "The opportunity to upgrade our participation with the MMA via Premium Membership only made sense given our ongoing commitment to the medium."

Each Premium Member has a particular focus for its efforts. Microsoft Advertising is helping the industry focus on driving the effective use of mobile advertising across different industry sectors and the multiplier effect that can be achieved when advertising across multiple media, including mobile. Alcatel-Lucent is focusing on user-centric permission and preference driven advertising that leads to enhanced engagement through the mobile channel. The Coca-Cola Company will help develop and accelerate education programs in mobile marketing, with the intent to support the MMA's roll out of mobile marketing and education certification programs in more than 20 countries in the next 12-18 months.