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Mobile Marketing Association elects industry players to guide India Local Council

The Mobile Marketing Association has named its elected co-chairs for the MMA India Local Council.

The council was launched last month to serve the growing needs of the mobile marketing communities in the country. After a month of nominations and votes, Kunal Bajaj, managing director of BDA Connect, and Rajiv Hiranandani, cofounder and executive director of Altruist's Mobile2Win, have been elected to guide and oversee the Indian Council and its industry initiatives.

To further the growth of the mobile marketing industry, the MMA India Local Council has brought together the entire mobile ecosystem, including carriers, application developers, brands, agencies and other influencers to increase the mobile marketing momentum in India.

The MMA India Local Council membership includes representation from 40 leading organizations in the field such as AdMob, Bharti Telesoft, Buongiorno, Coca-Cola, Google, Group M, Hungama, Indiagames, Microsoft, mKhoj, Nokia, Reuters, Vodafone, Tata Teleservices, Velti and Yahoo India.

The significant advances being made in mobile technology each day together with the ever increasing reach and affordability offered by the medium is encouraging more businesses to have a mobile presence, according to BDA Connect.

The company expects many mobile applications to launch in India in the near future, so BDA Connect believes that it is necessary to create the appropriate measurement and tracking mechanisms to enable the ecosystem to grow.

It is important to be mindful of consumer sentiment and ensure that the necessary best practices are implemented, while partnering with carriers, regulatory bodies, brands and agencies to realize the full potential this medium holds, according to BDA Connect.

The India Local Council plans to lead the implementation of these and other initiatives.

More than 400 million people in India now own mobile phones, representing a significant consumer base for advertisers to tap into.

The Indian mobile marketing industry has seen much development in the past few years, according to Mobile2Win.

Brands and agencies have come up the value chain over the past several years, starting from the initial days of SMS-lead-based campaigns and contests to targeted SMS pushes, WAP sites, branded and ad-funded content and mobile advertising.

The current size of this industry is approximately $25 million per year, and Mobile2Win estimates that it will grow to more than $62 million within the next two years.

The elected co-chairs will also be a part of the MMA Regional Leadership Committee, the collaborating body across the Asia-Pacific region.

They will work closely with the Regional Board of Directors to determine strategy and priorities.

The mobile marketing industry in India has matured considerably over the last few years.

More than a hundred mobile value-added services and technology companies in India are now working to bring more innovative services and keep advertisers abreast of new technologies being launched, according to the MMA.

Under the leadership of the elected co-chairs, the India Council's goal is to drive the evolution of the mobile marketing industry in the country.