The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) is to recognize the growing importance of mobile retailing as it rolls out a new programme – Adopt-a-brand – with the aim of introducing more retailers to the mobile world. The MMA has kicked things off by signing up BestBuy, Polo Ralph Lauren and OMD Ignition Factory as three new honorary members of its North America Board of Directors.

The move by the MMA comes as the international wireless association, CTIA, releases figures that show that 20% of attendees at its huge mobile conference and exhibition in Las Vegas last month were from the retail space, marking how seriously many are now taking m-commerce. The show also featured a special Retail Zone, with more than 150 exhibitors.

As a fresh way to encourage the growth of the mobile marketing ecosystem, the MMA’s new Adopt-a-brand programme offers brands and retailers the opportunity network with today’s and tomorrow’s mobile marketing innovators during MMA’s North American Forum event on 8-9 June in New York. MMA will hold a brand and retailer pre-conference roundtable, followed by a networking reception, on June 7 – the day before the MMA Forum.

“We’re already seeing significant buzz this year in the mobile retail space, with major brands delving into a variety of mobile marketing and commerce opportunities,” explains Michael Becker, MMA North American Managing Director. .

“MMA members already engaged consumers with major brands and retailers through mobile marketing campaigns, such as Ralph Lauren’s mobile video fashion shows or BestBuy’s product details and customer ratings. Additionally, point-of-sale 2D-barcode coupons in Target and JC Penny stores, retail card apps like myStarbucks, and even a shakable interactive mobile ad from Levi Strauss & Co.’s Dockers brand demonstrate the growth of companies using retail mobile marketing and commerce,”

Additional information about the “Adopt-A-Brand” program and the 2010 MMA Forum event series, including the upcoming MMA Forum in Singapore on April 14-15, is available here.

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