Strong focus on education and initiatives such as IDEATHON part of MMA’s agenda to drive the growth of mobile marketing in India
The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA), the global leading association for the mobile marketing industry, enters a new phase of growth in India, with the appointment of board members, Priya Nair of Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) and Sameer Singh of GroupM Media India Private Limited, to the roles of Chairperson and Co-Chairperson of MMA’s India Local Council. Also announced was the addition of five new board members to the existing roster.
In their new roles, Priya and Sam will oversee MMA India in its drive to educate and further the growth of the mobile marketing industry in India. To facilitate greater understanding and education around how brands and marketers can successfully connect and engage with consumers, MMA India has previously hosted the IDEATHON Challenge series that saw tech enthusiasts solve brand problems in 30 hours, where they took marketing on mobile apps to greater heights. With a strong focus on education, initiatives such as the IDEATHON challenge series, as well as the native series which enables expert inputs on best practices for mobile creatives and mobile advertisements, MMA India strives to continue stimulating brands in their efforts to push the boundaries of video and audio marketing.
As the mobile marketing industry evolves to encompass a wide-ranging set of tools and technology such as blockchain, as well as industry regulations, MMA global and MMA India are also working closely on cross media studies, mandates such as the General Data Protection Regulation, and programmatic issues such as ad fraud and brand safety. The concerted efforts of MMA members to champion industry standards and the relevant mandates will unify the various industry stakeholders in efforts to enlighten, empower and enable the mobile marketers of today.
“The evolution of mobile marketing has been continuously fuelled by rapid disruptions and transformation. In keeping with industry developments and consumers increased expectations of brand engagement in a mobile-first society, MMA India believes in staying abreast of new and upcoming industry trends to accelerate the transformation and innovation efforts in mobile marketing and to help drive business growth and build closer consumer engagements.” said Moneka Khurana, Country Head of MMA India.
Taking the helm from D Shivakumar, Priya Nair, Executive Director of Home Care for Hindustan Lever, has accumulated over 24 years of experience working with leading consumer brands such as Surf, Wheel, Axe, Dove and Close Up. She will also bring to her role as Chairperson of MMA India, skills and expertise in Digital and Rural Marketing. In her tenure at HUL, Priya led the Kan Khajura Tesan activation to three Cannes Gold Lions awards, as well as spearheaded the development of HUL’s perfect village, HUL’s Rural Marketing Program and its mobile strategy.
“This is a tremendous opportunity and I look forward to advancing the mobile marketing industry in India. India’s appetite for mobile marketing has seen unprecedented growth in the past few years, and there still remains much room for future growth. As the leading trade association for mobile marketing worldwide, MMA will continue to provide the platforms and avenues for marketers to gain new knowledge and insights to India’s mobile marketing ecosystem. It will be an exciting journey ahead, working with some of the industry best talents at MMA India, to capitalise on new opportunities and value add to India’s growing mobile marketing industry,” said Priya.
MMA India’s newly-elected Co-Chairperson, Sam Singh, is the Chief Executive Officer of GroupM South Asia, managing the leading media investment conglomerate in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Sam has also previously held leadership roles as Director of Agency Business of Google India and Global Head of Media at GlaxoSmithKline. As a veteran of the consumer products industry, Sam has had extensive experience working in various corporates including GlaxoSmithKline, Procter & Gamble and Gillette, and in markets spanning the USA, United Kingdom, China, Middle East and India. He will bring with him years of expertise accumulated through roles in brand management, media management, sales, consumer insights and procurement.
“India’s mobile marketing landscape is challenging yet dynamic. Its transition to the next level of sophistication comes on the back of consumers’ growing desire for innovative and refreshing media content. I am thrilled to be part of MMA India’s next phase of growth as I work closely with Priya and the entire council to push the boundaries of mobile marketing, and to make mobile marketing more exciting for marketers and consumers alike, in the region,” said Sam.
MMA India’s Local Council also elected five new Board Members, who will begin serving a two-year term immediately. The new Board members are:
· Uday Sodhi – Business Head Digital, Sony Pictures Networks India
· Partho Dasgupta – Chief Executive Officer, Barc India
· Nandini Dias – Chief Executive Officer, Lodestar UM, India
· Shamsuddin Jasani – Group Managing Director, South Asia, Isobar
· Siddharth Banerjee – Executive Vice President, Marketing, Vodafone India
“The new leadership and board members appointments will bring on board new ideas and diverse skillsets. Their combined industry experiences in marketing, digital, communications and marketing is uniquely suited for India’s mobile marketing landscape, and will prove invaluable in the drive to advance MMA’s agenda as the leading trade association for mobile marketing in India,” said Rohit Dadwal, Managing Director, MMA, Asia Pacific. “I look forward to working with them to further develop mobile marketing in India.”