Mobile Marketing Association Announces the First Annual Manis Award | MMA Global

Mobile Marketing Association Announces the First Annual Manis Award

October 19, 2004
Jim Manis, the award's namesake, is award's first recipient.

Mountain View, CA, October 18, 2004-The Mobile Marketing Association today announces the first annual Manis Award for Outstanding Service and Dedication to the Mobile Marketing Industry. The Manis Award is the first such award in the industry. It is created to highlight an individual who exhibits impressive leadership and selfless dedication to growing the mobile marketing industry and promoting standards that benefit and protect consumers.


Jim Manis, senior vice president of m-Qube, was chosen by a unanimous vote of the four-member MMA Executive Committee to be not only the awards first recipient, but also its namesake.


Manis is currently the global chairman of the MMA, a position he has held since 2002. During his tenure, he has steered the organization through the economic downturn that forced many companies in the space to close their doors. Known for his collaborative leadership style, Manis helped restored confidence in the organization among its members and helped grow the industry by removing issues that prevented its rapid growth.


Following are some key industry accomplishment Manis has influenced since 2002:


- Creation of the Common Short Code. Short codes are used by brands to communicate via Short Message Service (SMS) to consumers. Before the common short code, a single short code did not work across all carriers simultaneously. Manis lead an MMA committee and worked with several key associations to help make the common short code a reality in 2003.

- Establishment of an Industry Code of Conduct. The CoC advises all brands, carriers, advertisers and technology partners to adopt a double opt-in standard for mobile marketing campaigns. This standard insures that consumers will not receive any advertising or marketing messages they do not specifically request. The CoC is now voluntarily included in many legal contracts.

- Global & Government Representation. Manis represented the organization to various federal agencies and committees and helped grow and develop the MMA in Europe. Neither he nor his company received re-imbursement dollars for travel, per MMA policy.

"Jim has been a tireless, dedicated leader of this organization for two years and has accomplished what many people said couldn't be done in that amount of time," said Peter Fuller, who has been with the MMA in various capacities for four years and now serves as its executive director. "His service gave birth to this industry in the United States."


The Manis Award will be awarded annually by the MMA executive committee and will be the industry's premiere leadership award.


"Jim's extreme dedication, global knowledge, and diplomatic business practices has helped mobile marketing become a reality and measurable advertising medium in North America." said Jean Berberich, P&G , executive committee member.

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About the MMA

The Mobile Marketing Association is the premier global association that strives to stimulate the growth of mobile marketing, M-commerce and supporting technologies. MMA members include agencies, advertisers, handheld device manufacturers, carriers and operators, retailers, software providers and service providers, as well as any company focused on the potential of marketing via mobile devices. More information is available at www.mmaglobal.com