Marks Raymond Buckle and Brett St Clair’s first initiative as joint co-Chairs
Johannesburg: October 18th, 2010 – The MMA (Mobile Marketing Association) today announced the launch of its Certified Mobile Marketer Programme: MMA Track for South Africa. The launch marks the first localized certification course for the South African region and represents the first of a number of initiatives to be introduced by MMA South Africa’s newly elected co-Chairs: Raymond Buckle, Founder and CEO, SilverstoneCIS and Brett St Clair, Country Manager for South Africa, Admob Google.
Open to mobile professionals and individuals involved in mobile campaigns, the Certified Mobile Marketer Programme is designed to educate both individuals and organizations on mobile marketing best practices, privacy issues and guidelines on various methods of marketing to consumers on mobile. By ensuring the highest industry standards and providing a seal of approval that brands, agencies and other employees can use to identify the individuals and organizations best qualified to create and execute mobile marketing campaigns; all mobile marketers who have achieved the certification will be listed in a full directory for example. As such, the certification programme will be beneficial to the entire mobile marketing ecosystem. It will also be recognized by other industry partners as part of the MMA’s collaborative approach.
“As mobile marketing and advertising gains traction globally, and particularly in South Africa, it is vital to equip marketers with the skills required to compete,” said new MMA co-Chair Raymond Buckle. “With the technology evolving rapidly, it is also essential to keep abreast of all the changes in the industry, bearing in mind the personal nature of the mobile device for the consumer. The programme will cater to all those interested in learning more and pursuing a career in mobile marketing, and is especially relevant to brands and agencies based here running local or multi-market campaigns.”
Launched in November 2008, the MMA’s South African Council currently has 45 members that span the mobile marketing ecosystem, from brands and agencies to operators and technology enablers. With further initiatives in the pipeline around education and training, measurement and research, guidelines and validation and networking and industry publications, the Certified Marketer Programme is the first of many new products and services designed to provide members with greater support and benefits.
A founding member of the MMA’s South African Council and current chair of its committee for Mobile Media Measurement and Effectiveness, the co-founder and CEO of Silverstone Solutions Raymond Buckle is also a member of the Direct Marketing Association. Brett St.Clair spent 16 years working in mobile media all over the world before starting his own mobile media agency and finally settling as Country Manager for AdMob, allowing him to utilize his extensive knowledge of the South African and African mobile media market.
“We are honoured to have two such industry heavyweights on board to lead the South African Council from strength to strength in the coming months,” said Paul Berney, MMA Chief Marketing Officer and Managing Director for EMEA. “With more than 30 years’ experience of the mobile, media and marketing industries between them and a proven commitment to educating, evangelising and promoting the mobile marketing and advertising cause in South Africa, they are the right men for the job.”
The Certified Mobile Marketer Programme and MMA South Africa’s activity overall reflects the MMA’s new positioning to promote the mobile channel and mobile marketing; educate brands, agencies and consumers about the full scale and scope of the mobile marketing channel; measure the size, growth, trends and effectiveness of mobile marketing; guide the industry by continuing to create and develop guidelines, best practices and standards and protect the opportunity to maximize public and industry confidence in mobile marketing, lower barriers to entry and minimize non-economic costs of doing business.
“MMA South Africa is deeply committed to helping marketers find the right role for mobile in the marketing mix and include it in their campaigns seamlessly. Raymond and I are looking forward to working together to help make mobile an indispensable tool for marketers in South Africa and beyond, and would like to thank those already involved in the South African Education and Training Committee; Candice Goodman, the head of the committee and Managing Director of mo-B, Gordon Parkin, Director of Brandscape Marketing, Janice Allem, Wireless Solutions Architect for Africa at Gambit Wireless and Deidre Redfern, Senior Consultant, Media and Advertising at Vodacom Ventures,” said Brett St Clair.
For registration details and additional information about the MMA’s Certified Mobile Marketer Programme, visit www.mmaglobal.com/certification. To access details of all MMA certified South African mobile marketers, please visit http://mmaglobal.com/cmm-directory. For information on how to participate in the Local Council in South Africa, please contact the MMA membership team at membership@mmaglobal.com.
About the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA)
The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) is the premier global non-profit trade association representing all players in the mobile marketing value chain. With more than 700 member companies, the MMA is an action-oriented organization with global focus, regional actions and local relevance. The MMA’s primary focus is to establish mobile as an indispensible part of the marketing mix. The MMA works to promote, educate, measure, guide and protect the mobile marketing industry worldwide. The MMA’s global headquarters are located in the United States and it has regional chapters including North America (NA), Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Latin America (LATAM and Asia Pacific (APAC) branches. For more information, please visit www.mmaglobal.com.
