My name is Adam Snukal and I am a Senior Associate in the Advertising, Technology and Media )ATM) Group of Reed Smith, LLP. As an active member of the MMA community and the mobile industry, I appreciate the opportunity to nominate myself for the 2008 Board of Directors of the MMA )the "MMA Board").
Over the last 5 years, I have participated in and witnessed the exponential growth and evolution of all facets of the mobile industry in North America and abroad from both a business and legal perspective. Beyond my involvement in leading edge mobile marketing and technology agreements )ranging from mobile agency of record agreements to mobile content publishing/licensing agreements and wireless gaming agreements) and advising clients on a variety of emerging marketing related issues within mobile )ranging from sweepstakes to marketing gaming and alcohol related services/products and marketing to children), I've had the opportunity to collaborate on pitches designed to educate and market the unique benefits that can be obtained from mobile marketing to companies and agencies alike.
As a member of the MMA, I am honored to have been given the opportunity to contribute an article, Text to Win - Mobile Sweepstakes 101, to the MMA's monthly newsletter. The legality of mobile sweepstakes on shows like American Idol, 1 vs. 100, Deal or No Deal and The Apprentice get's to the core issues which the MMA addresses, namely, facilitating and establishing self-regulatory standards and guidelines for a medium that reaches consumers in a very intimate manner.
I see mobile marketing as the convergence of enterprise and entertainment; advertising and technology; privacy and data intelligence. Mobile marketing has emerged at the crossroads between core functionality and utility of wireless devices and an environment through which advertisers can touch )almost literally) their target market via entertainment, coupons, geographic positioning and enumerable other ways which continue to expand at alarming velocity.
As mobile increasingly develops into the ubiquitous "third" screen for users and advertisers, strong and informed leadership will be needed to navigate the fundamental issues that accompany such evolution, including: privacy, content ownership and licensing, GPS monitoring, cross-border laws, child protection, SPAM, user generated content, FCC and FTC-related issues and more. Having first-hand legal experience in all of these areas through legal representation of mobile marketing companies, content developers and content publishers, I have gained a unique perspective as to their business and legal concerns. I look forward to working with my peers on the MMA Board, helping to make the board and the MMA membership better and more prepared and knowledgeable as to how policies, directives and positions mesh with legislation, case law and other legal developments affecting the mobile industry.
The ability and mandate of the MMA to continue its leadership role in the mobile marketing industry will depend on the quality and diversity of its directors, advisors and active members. I believe my experience, coupled with my commitment and desire to see this industry evolve in a safe and effective manner, makes me uniquely qualified to join and participate in the important work of the MMA's Board. I wish to express my gratitude to Laura, the rest of the MMA and its membership for their consideration of my candidacy.
From the early days of inter-carrier SMS messaging to the launch of premium SMS services to the introduction of premium SMS billing )at Verizon Wireless) I have had many opportunities to lead the creation and deployment of innovative solutions in my various product management roles. The Mobile Marketing Association has a long record of leadership success in building consensus within the wireless industry. As the industry looks ahead to new challenges and unprecedented change, I am eager to take on an active role within the MMA to help carry its leadership forward.
Wireless carriers are facing new challenges to their continued revenue growth. From declining voice revenues to new market participants to game-changing handsets, these are exciting times for the mobile industry. The days of the walled garden are quickly winding down. The rapid adoption of mobile advertising and the content models that it enables will mean new challenges for the industry to navigate. An active MMA will be critical to the growth and development of this market.
From standardizing ad units to demonstrating effectiveness, the MMA has already had tremendous positive impact on the mobile advertising marketplace. I feel strongly that my background in the wireless industry makes me an ideal candidate to continue this positive trend. Eight years ago I launched Advertising.com's first wireless advertising network; planting the seeds for opportunities that are only now being realized. Along the way I had the opportunity to see the SMS revolution take root in the U.S. and Asia. While at Unimobile )acquired by VeriSign), we operated one of the first international inter-carrier SMS networks connecting P2P and D2C applications worldwide. Ultimately, it was my five years at Verizon Wireless that provided me the greatest impact the mobile industry. My teams launched inter-carrier SMS with Mobile365 )Infomatch) and VeriSign, Premium Ringtone Downloads with Widerthan )Ztango), ESME connectivity through our SMPP gateway and Mobile Instant Messaging with AOL, MSN and Yahoo! All of these projects represented a tremendous team effort and I consider myself fortunate to have lead them from idea inception through to successful product launch.
Now at Millennial Media, we are deeply vested in the issues that will both define and drive the future of this industry. Having spent the last 18 months leading the development of our mobile advertising products, I have been involved in all aspects of the mobile advertising business and have developed a keen insight into the tight interaction of mobile advertising with mobile marketing. I submit this personal statement because I am eager to take on active participation in forming the policy, measurement guidelines, best practices and leadership standards that will continue to grow our industry through the exciting times ahead.
In the mid 1990s, he founded several successful Internet start-up companies in Venezuela such as Ticketron Venezuela )tickets for events by phone and Internet), Webtron )Internet Project developments), Promotron )Events and Promotions Organizer) and TuCupon LLC. CEO )Offline and Online discount coupons).
At the same time, Mr. Benbunan was Chapter Manager of "Wap Wednesday - Wireless Around People" a non-profit organization dedicated to the development of wireless technologies worldwide.
When he moved to Europe, he was appointed European Business Development Director at MobileSpear and later International Business Development Manager at Marca's Newspaper, the most read newspaper in Spain )Grupo Recoletos part of Pearson Group).
In 2004, he founded "Mobile Dreams Factory" one of the leading European mobile marketing and advertising agencies with offices in Spain, Mexico and United States. Since its inception, Mobile Dreams has been involved in the mobile area with innovative campaigns. Mobile Dreams has been awarded with many different international awards such as MMA Awards, Cannes Lions, Eurobest, El Sol, etc. Currently, Mobile Dreams is working with several high profile customers such as Coca-Cola, Vodafone, Adidas, Renault, Heineken, Movistar, and Cepsa, among others.
Mobile Dreams is one of the founding companies of MMA's Spanish Chapter. In 2007, Alberto was in the MMA EMEA board as Treasurer and member of the Executive Committee of the MMA Global. Benbunan also proved his leadership chairing the Global Mobile Coupons Committee and releasing the "Introduction to Mobile Coupons" Guide, and also chairing the Global Proximity Committee within the MMA.
Mr. Benbunan works in many different non-profit organizations in Europe and Israel.
Mr. Benbunan is an ideal candidate for the Board of Directors of MMA EMEA due to his proven track record as a successful business man in the area of wireless technologies as well as his extensive experience and leadership within the MMA and other international organizations. In addition to his personal experience, the international focus of Mobile Dreams and its success in the European mobile market provide another compelling reason to support his candidacy for the Board of Directors' position.
I head up the North American operations of leading SMS and MMS connectivity aggregator MX Telecom and am responsible for all commercial activities supporting the US and Canadian markets. Prior to opening the US office in New York in 2003, I spent two years as Marketing Director for MX Telecom in London, building key relationships in the early days of the SMS market in Europe. Before MX Telecom I was a strategic planning manager at Reuters, the global connectivity, content and transactions company. I hold a Masters degree from the University of Cambridge.
MX Telecom operates in North America, Europe and Australia, serving hundreds of clients for SMS, MMS, Video, Voice and Location connectivity. It has become a major player in the wireless industry, well respected for its role in growing and developing the market over the past seven years. I am an active member of the MMA, participating in the Consumer Best Practices Committee and Short Code working group.
Through energetic participation in the MMA and other key industry bodies, I aim to use MX Telecom's reach and experience to influence and support the profitable and sustainable growth of our industry in North America by aligning the needs of content providers, carriers and end users. I believe my experience of over six years in one of the pivotal players in the mobile value chain, combined with my enthusiasm for developing our industry, will be a useful asset to the MMA Board. Thank you for your support.
My name is Anne Baker and I am the Vice President of Marketing for Action Engine Corporation, a mobile application and advertising platform company. At Action Engine I lead the worldwide marketing program, promoting the work we have done building interactive and advertising-enabled mobile applications for leading media and content brands, including AOL, MSNBC.com, Wall Street Journal.com, Barron's.com, Marketwatch.com, MTV, TiVo, Sports Illustrated.com, and others.
Before joining Action Engine, I spent six years at wireless OSS software company, Metapath, transitioning the company through its purchase by Marconi Wireless, now a division of Ericsson. I am a native New Yorker who also spent time working for leading consulting firm, Accenture, in New York City prior to moving out west to Seattle where I now reside with my husband, one year old son, and Boxer dog.
I have been actively involved with the MMA since 2006. I currently serve on the Mobile Marketing Campaign Strategies & Best Practices Committee where I wrote the current and future trends portion of the MMA 101 document. I have also contributed case studies to the MMA; highlighting some of the pioneering work my company has done in the areas of advertising within mobile applications and mobile video.
I am running for a seat on the Board of Directors because I want to lead the organization's initiatives to expand mobile advertising beyond online messaging and mobile websites into the offline mobile applications and device screens. As wireless operators further 'open' their networks and companies like Google and Yahoo offer new mobile application development platforms, I believe that advertising within mobile applications will become an increasingly important area for examination from the MMA and one where I can make an immediate impact.
I recognize that a Board position takes time and dedication and I am committed to putting in the hours necessary to advance the goals of the MMA for the good of both consumers and the mobile industry.
Brendan Benzing, Vice President of Product Management, Marketing and Strategy for Motricity, is responsible for defining Motricity's product strategy in its industry leading Mobile Services Platform. Benzing joined Motricity through the acquisition of InfoSpace. He joined InfoSpace in 2005, bringing experience in sales, marketing and interactive media product development. He has over 17 years of experience in the media industry and over a decade with interactive media products including mobile, internet, and interactive TV. Prior to InfoSpace, Benzing spend seven years with America Online, serving as an Executive Director, in AOL's Search and Directional Media Group. Prior to that Brendan held positions of increasing responsibility with Bell Atlantic, which is now part of Verizon.
Benzing supports the mission of the MMA to stimulate the growth of mobile marketing and its associated technologies. Benzing will bring collective experience from both InfoSpace and Motricity in developing technology for the operators in North America and in Europe.
Motricity is the only company with proven and scalable offerings across multiple key mobile content solution categories, including: storefronts, portals, search, managed web, messaging, content aggregation, marketing campaign management and community solutions. Motricity is a leading provider of On Deck and Off Deck solutions for mobile operators and media & entertainment companies )see diagram below). By offering these world–class services, Motricity is able to create compelling user experiences and deliver scalable mobile content services to companies seeking to leverage the emerging mobile channel, interact with consumers and build brand loyalty. With this breadth of experience in the mobile industry and knowledge of advancing mobile technologies, Benzing will play a significant role in advancing the MMA, its vision, leadership and participation in the mobile industry.
Benzing supports the following initiatives for the mobile industry:
Benzing has participated in multiple speaking engagements at MMA events. As an active member of the MMA Mobile Search committee, Motricity has contributed to the use cases, case studies and will expand its participation in 2008.
Brain Cowley, CEO of Ad Infuse, has held executive positions at leading mobile, internet, direct marketing, and digital advertising companies over the last twenty-five years. Prior to Ad Infuse, Brian was at InfoSpace serving as their Vice President of Mobile Advertising, responsible for the strategy, business development, advertising sales and platforms for mobile. Before InfoSpace, he was EVP of Business Development at InPhonic, a leading seller of wireless services and devices. Brian spent over ten years in the internet search and advertising business, primarily as a co-founder and Senior Vice President of Sales & Business Development at Looksmart, where he was instrumental in growing the company from startup to a multi-billion dollar, publicly traded company. He worked at eBay serving as their Vice President, General Manager of Sponsorship & Services, managing a $140 million revenue business. He began his internet career as a Director of Business Development at Netscape, in 1995 championing some of the earliest internet advertising programs. Brian also spent over ten years in the direct marketing business with Dun & Bradstreet and National Decision Systems.
Ad Infuse is an industry leader in delivering premium mobile advertising solutions that bring together operators, publishers and advertisers. Founded in 2006 and backed by top tier digital media investment firms, Ad infuse has spearheaded innovations and first-to-market campaigns in many of the rich media advertising channels such as video, gaming, and podcasts. The adInMotion delivery platform is founded on a consumer-centric approach to enabling relevancy with privacy-sensitive targeting capabilities, and the company is committed to helping the industry successfully meet the needs for advertisers and consumers. Ad Infuse offers a full suite of supporting services including campaign design, creation, and implementation. The team combines both technology and media backgrounds, and has initiated programs like Mobile Ad Degree to educate the advertiser community. Today, the Ad Infuse premium content network has surpassed 500M monthly impressions and is one of the fastest growing mobile ad networks in the world.
The company joined the MMA over a year ago, and has become increasingly involved in the organization. Ad Infuse serves on both the EMEA and NA Mobile Advertising Committees, as well as the Campaign Strategies & Best Practices and MMA Academic Outreach Committees. Most recently, Ad Infuse submitted best practices guidelines for mobile video advertising to the MMA.
Brian Cowley brings a unique perspective to the board. He has been involved in digital advertising since its basic inception over a decade ago, and brings that experience to helping the mobile industry address similar challenges as it matures. As the industry moves to more advanced forms of mobile advertising, he can apply first-hand knowledge to help ensure the MMA stays in front of the industry on key emerging initiatives with advertisers and agencies; getting them more involved in the MMA. Second is spearheading focus on emerging advertising technologies. And lastly, championing privacy-sensitive targeting initiatives to establish industry-wide best practices.
I am a 2007 MMA Board member submitting my application for consideration to the 2008 MMA Board of Directors.
Below is my current bio and background information demonstrating why I am a relevant, innovative contributor with solutions addressing the challenges facing our industry as it moves forward. I firmly believe that 2008 will be the year shaping this industry for quite some time, and the MMA board will play a decisive role in this endeavor.
My employer, Univision, has been an active participant and member of MMA for the last two years. As a 2007 board member, I am well prepared to grow participation from US carriers and agencies, while also addressing the issues facing the industry as a whole.
I have been a wireless industry veteran since 1999. I started with Qualcomm on the application and content side of the business, followed by an 18-month run with a mobile startup focused on the hybrid-MVNO and application business. These experiences gave me immeasurable insight into the logistics of this industry. Having managed the mobile and interactive business for the last 4+ years at Univision, I experience daily the core issues that need to be addressed as this industry moves forward.
Below please find the key initiatives facing Univision in continuing to grow our mobile businesses, which will have my complete focus if I am elected to the board again in 2008:
Given the depth of our media assets and our daily discussions with advertisers and agencies, we recognize that nothing is more critical to growing our business than working closely within the industry to improve communication, policy, reporting and ultimately, results. The only way this will get done is through a passionate and effective board in 2008.
And, I truly believe it is strategically imperative to involve a company catering to the most dynamic demographic in the country )Hispanics 40+ MM) and sophisticated, passionate, influential, early adopter consumers of everything mobile. Having Univision on the board does bring a much-needed voice to the table.
I hope that my career in mobile and digital advertising, coupled with my daily involvement in the convergence of those two industries, makes me a worthwhile appointment to the board.
Thank you for your consideration.
Cindy Spodek Dickey, Vice President of Marketing at Seattle-based Zumobi, is a veteran marketing executive with expertise in creating and delivering on innovative and measurably successful strategies designed to drive consumer adoption of mobile, entertainment, and electronics products.
Cindy is an active member of the MMA; she is currently serving on the Philanthropy Sub-Committee of the Women in Wireless Committee. The Women in Wireless committee was established by the MMA to provide a forum for female industry leaders in the mobile media community and to increase the industry awareness around the success of female executives in the industry. Cindy was also a member of the 2007 MMA Awards Selection Committee, and served as a category presenter at the 2007 Awards Ceremony. Recognizing the value of the MMA constituency, Cindy also selected the MMA's Marketing Forum as a platform to announce Zumobi's name change )from ZenZui) and Beta launch in 2007.
Over the past 20 years, Cindy's leadership at Zumobi, at Microsoft, and at Disney has consistently demonstrated her ability to help brands establish strong connections with consumers across a variety of market segments around the world. She has experience with both public and private companies anchored at the convergence of technology and content at various stages of company lifecycles including rapid growth, first customer acquisition, and global marketing
As Vice President of Marketing at Zumobi, Cindy has developed and led the marketing strategy that launched the company out of Microsoft IP Ventures, and established it as one of the most talked about mobile start ups of 2007, with coverage in the New York Times, USAToday, and The Wall Street Journal, among other industry, consumer and business media. Today, she continues to lead the strategic direction, marketing planning, and program execution to drive consumer adoption of Zumobi, and manage relationships across the media, analysts, and mobile industry marketing communities.
During her career, Cindy has served in several marketing and executive management roles across highly competitive and rapidly evolving industries. Throughout her ten years at Microsoft, Cindy led many high-profile marketing initiatives that involved new and cutting edge technologies and concepts including Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox Live, MSN Direct, MSN.com and multiple consumer software titles. During the heavy growth years of the gaming console market and the Internet, she was first Group Promotions Manager and then Director of Global Partnership Marketing for Microsoft Xbox. In this role, Cindy identified, negotiated, secured, and drove comprehensive marketing and sales integration utilizing a wide portfolio of marketing disciplines including brand marketing, advertising creative and media, public relations, CRM, and engineering to ensure high ROI within a framework of seven international offices across 24 countries.
As an eight-year Disney alum, she also worked on the successful international marketing and promotional efforts for the debuts of many of the classic and contemporary animated films on video.
Cindy lives in Seattle with her husband and two rescue dogs, and also serves on the board of directors for the Seattle King County Humane Society.
Connie Wong has more than 30 years of experience and a successful track record in management, sales, marketing, M&A and business development in wireless and technology industries. She is the president of Hutchison Whampoa Americas and CEO/Founder of Vidiator. Vidiator is a mobile multimedia-focused vendor delivering a deep and broad mobile multimedia platform that allows carriers to stream or download MMS content )e.g., video, audio, 3-D messaging) to MMS-enabled mobile devices. Vidiator currently has 120 employees.
Connie was formerly Vice President of AOL Mobile where she responsible for business development and operations in Asia. Prior to joining AOL, Connie was vice president of Asia business development for Nextel International Inc. and was on the board of Nextel Japan, Philippines and a JV with China Unicom in Shanghai. Prior to Nextel, Connie was the director of international business development for AT&T Wireless. She led a bid team in Taiwan and subsequently won two GSM wireless licenses for the consortium, it is now known as Far EasTone. During her tenure in Hong Kong from 1978 to 2005, Connie was the director of international business development for Hutchison Telecom International. She was responsible for bids on global wireless licenses and setting up new wireless operations subsequent to license awards, e.g. Orange India, recently acquired by Vodafone. Prior to Hutchison, she was one of the founding members of SmarTone Communications in Hong Kong. She served as VP of Sales and Marketing since 1992 and was the first operator to launch GSM in Asia. Besides her extensive experience in the mobile communication industry, Connie served fourteen years in the computer hardware and software industry in Asia. She served as VP of Sales and Marketing for Digital Equipment Inc. )now HP); branch sales director of Wang Laboratories, Inc. and Data General. Connie holds a B.Sc. degree and an executive MBA.
Connie currently serves on the advisory board of Albers School of Business and Economics; visiting committee of technology of College of Engineering of University of Washington; advisory board of a number of technology companies including Impinj; co-Chair of the "Women in Wireless" initiative of MMA and international advisory board member of Bahiastreet, a NGO. Connie has been a member of MMA for three years.
Ms. Wong believes her breadth of experience in the mobile and technology industry )she has been involved in mobile from 1G to 2G and now 3G) make her an ideal candidate for the Board of Directors position. She looks forward to sharing insights and vision with other members of the MMA board, and working together to promote consumer best practices through effective industry collaborations.