The Mobile Marketing Asssociation (MMA) has revealed that during this week’s MMA Mobile Marketing Forum in Los Angeles, The Coca-Cola Company joined the MMA’s Premium Membership tier, while Microsoft Advertising, the MMA’s first-ever Premium Member, signed up for another two years’ Premium Membership. Launched in November 2009, MMA’s Premium Membership is an exclusive tier for a limited number of companies that have substantial global influence and leadership in the mobile marketing industry.

Coca-Cola joins Microsoft Advertising and Alcatel-Lucent as Premium Members. The MMA says the Premium Membership tier brings together “market-making” companies with the scale, scope and resources to affect genuine change in the marketplace to the benefit of the worldwide mobile marketing industry. These companies, it says, provide leadership by accelerating innovation, removing critical industry blockers and expanding industry awareness of the benefit of mobile marketing. Premium Members commit themselves to long-term, concerted and collaborative efforts through the MMA to build the industry.

“We are thrilled to have the continued commitment of Microsoft, as its leadership and global strength are beneficial to the entire ecosystem,” says MMA CEO, Greg Stuart. “Adding The Coca-Cola Company to the MMA Premium Membership tier will only further benefit our members, broadening our capability to support everyone worldwide.”

Tom Daly, Group Manager, Global Connections at The Coca-Cola Company, adds: “The MMA’s commitment to creating a viable and productive ecosystem is important. The opportunity to upgrade our participation with the MMA via Premium Membership only made sense given our ongoing commitment to the medium.”

Each Premium Member has a particular focus for its efforts. Microsoft Advertising is helping the industry focus on driving the effective use of mobile advertising across different industry sectors, and the multiplier effect that can be achieved when advertising across multiple media, including mobile. Alcatel-Lucent is focusing on user-centric permission- and preference-driven advertising that leads to enhanced engagement through the mobile channel. The Coca-Cola Company will help develop and accelerate education programs in mobile marketing, with the intention of supporting the MMA’s roll out of mobile marketing and education certification programs in more than 20 countries in the next 12-18 months.