MEF TV: Tom Daly, Coca Cola at MEF Americas 2011

Next up in our series of video interviews from MEF Americas 2011, Rob of UNTETHER .tv speaks to Tom Daly, Director of Mobile and Search, Global Connections for Coca Cola. In this short but sweet chat, Tom describes how mobile has essentially been a part of Coca Cola's philosophy since the 20's and how he sees it only becoming increasingly central in the near future. A fascinating perspective on how this super brand  is leveraging mobile to not only engage with customers but also within their own B2B value chain.

Let's watch..

MEF TV: Marco Argenti, Nokia at MEF Americas 2011

More fascinating insights from MEF Americas and MEF TV; in this video Marco Argenti, SVP of Developer and Marketplace for Nokia speaks to Rob Woodbridge of UNTETHER.tv. In it he expands on the topic of his keynote speech from MEF Americas 2011 "Creating Hyper Local App Economies" and discusses the opportunities for monetizing apps presented by leveraging the nuances of highly localised content.



Hit the jump for more from Marco and MEF TV at  MEF Americas 2011: Mobile Content and Commerce.

MEF Americas 2011 in Pictures

We've talked a lot about MEF's annual mobile content and commerce gathering MEF Americas 2011 over recent months, and with good reason. Not only was it a hugely successful event with keynotes from the likes of Nokia, Sprint and Coca-Cola, and delegates representing both North America and LatAm from across the value chain - it was also set amid the fabulous Fontainebleau resort, Miami beach, which was definitely a canny choice of venue judging by these fantastic snaps.

Enjoy this year's MEF Americas photo gallery - and let us know if you were there in the comments!

MEF TV : Global Chair Andrew Bud at MEF Americas 2011

In the first of our interviews filmed at MEF Americas 2011: Mobile Content and Commerce recently held in Miami, MEF Global Chair and the Founder and Chief Strategy Officer for mBlox, Andrew Bud speaks to Ben Smith of Tribal Labs for MEF TV.

Andrew outlines the key themes of MEF Americas 2011's keynotes from Nokia, Coca-Cola and Sprint on app localisation, the innovative ways of using mobile to engage with consumers, 'the unbanked' and mobile commerce, noting we are in the midst of a time of great innovation and disruption.

He goes on to share his thoughts on how trust, privacy and respect are common global themes and talks about the role of MEF has to play in representing all the participants across the mobile channel. Of key importance, he highlights the need for knowledge sharing between regions, particularly regarding the future of mobile payments and the complex issues involved in ensuring they are sufficiently robust to safeguard the future of mobile commerce.

Checkout MEF TV for more videos from MEF Americas, and stay tuned for featured videos coming soon.

Nokia and Sprint to Keynote MEF Americas 2011

Exciting news from MEF Americas 2011, Nokia and Sprint have been announced as keynotes for MEF Americas 2011: Mobile Content and Commerce in Miami!

Nokia is to kick things off on day 1 with a keynote examining the trend towards the creation of ‘Hyper Local App Economies’, with a focus on the shift from a global ecosystem model to one where millions of people make money by selling and exchanging apps and content at a deeply local level. The keynote will explore new distribution models that give everybody the opportunity to create a distribution business, and the emergent app economies being observed. The keynote will be delivered by Nokia's Marco Argenti, SVP Developer & Marketplace.

Meanwhile top billing for day 2 goes to Sprint - John Carney, SVP of Consumer Marketing will be exploring the challenges and opportunities surrounding m-commerce and alternative financial services for the under-banked. The unbanked, under served segment of the population is extremely large and growing and while the technology and ecosystems largely exist to take advantage of this opportunity, the carriers can’t do it alone. The keynote is set to educate attendees about this market, where the near and longer term opportunities exist, and what needs to happen to get results.

The Keynotes top an extensive list of panel sessions and speakers, checkout the website for the full lineup. The essential gathering for thought leaders & deal makers from across North & Latin America’s mobile content and commerce ecosystems is now less than two weeks away - time to start packing!

Join the MEF AGMs and Board Elections for the Americas in Miami

MEF Americas 2011: Mobile Content & Commerce, to be held in Miami at the end of the month isn't all about exciting keynotes and fantastic speakers. It's also not just about relaxing in the splendour of the luxurious Fontainebleu resort while waiting for the next fantastic keynote to begin. No before all that, before the essential gathering has even kicked off properly, another event of huge importance occurs, the MEF LatAm AGM & Elections. The North America AGM & Elections are held the following evening, both represent a significant opportunity for MEF members.

As you will know, MEF plays an essential leadership role in creating a sustainable environment for, and accelerating the uptake of mobile content & commerce. Today, with the rapidly changing landscape and scope of the mobile environment, there has never been a better time to add your voice to the shaping of the industry by standing for a position on one of these prestigious boards. This year there are 12 open seats on the MEF LatAm board, and 5 open seats on the North American Board.

All MEF members are welcome to attend both AGMs. Full MEF members may vote and stand as a candidate for these prestigious boards and create thought leadership, share knowledge and address the critical issues facing the mobile commerce and content industry.

About MEF LatAm

In the two years since its launch, MEF’s LatAm chapter has become a leading voice for the mobile content and commerce industry in the region. In 2010, a MEF initiative led to the creation of a Unified Code of Conduct for mobile content subscription services and advertising in Brazil which has been endorsed by all four of the major network carriers and the regulator Anatel. In 2011, MEF is again taking the lead in producing a set of guidelines to define the standards for consistent application of the Code and its sanctions. MEF LatAm is also promoting the M-Commerce market in the region with the recent launch our M-Commerce Initiative. With a focus on micro-payments and the virtual goods market, MEF LatAm is at the forefront of educating network carriers, games publishers and social networks on the potential of mobile payments.

The MEF LatAm AGM & Elections take place Monday, November 28th at 5pm at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach. Please contact Priscila Grison for more information on how run for the board. To register your attendance, please click HERE.

About MEF North America

MEF North America has been at the forefront of the mobile entertainment market since its launch in 2002, with strong ties to its members across the region and an established track record of shaping the industry with groundbreaking initiatives. With MEF’s expanded mission to represent the global community for mobile commerce this trend is set to continue in 2012 and beyond with our M-Commerce Initiative, working with ASC X9 to define industry standards for the privacy and security of mobile transactions, recently highlighted in our Global Consumer Survey as the greatest barrier to more widespread adoption of m-commerce. MEF North America is firmly in the driving seat in establishing the consumer and merchant confidence necessary for the mobile platform to become the premier device to enable commerce across North America and Canada.

The MEF North Americas AGM & Elections take place Tuesday, November 29th at 5pm at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach. Please contact Georgia Aarons for further information on how to run for the board. To register your attendance, please click HERE.

Reminder: Less than 24 hours for Early Bird Registration for MEF Americas 2011

MEF Americas 2011: Mobile Content and Commerce, is the essential gathering for North America and LatAm companies looking to understand cross continental opportunities and drive investment in mobile.

The Early Bird registration deal offers significant savings of over 30% for MEF Members and non members alike, representing a $200 saving on the cost of entry! The deadline for Early Bird registration is midnight PST, October 7th, and will not be subject to further extension, so act quickly to save!

Headline speakers for MEF Americas include Citibank, Coca-Cola, MTV and Turner Broadcasting.

MEF is still accepting submissions for speakers until the deadline - If you or one of your senior executives would like to be considered as a speaker at this landmark event, you can register your interest here.

MEF Extends Early Bird Registration for Miami Event by 1 week

MEF has announced that the registration deadline for MEF Americas 2011: Mobile Content & Commerce has been extended by 1 week, due to popular demand. Scheduled to expire at midnight PST today, the Early Bird registration deal knocks a whopping $200 off the cost of entry to the prestigious Miami event, to be held November 29-30. The new deadline to get your registration in is midnight October 7th - and indications are that this will be the one and only extension on the offer!

Register now and save 30%!

MEF Americas 2011: Mobile Content & Commerce  is an exclusive two-day event, now in it's second year at the beautiful Fontainebleau resort in Miami, and will see the coming together of key players and thought leaders from right across the mobile commerce and content value chains. While undoubtedly an appealing locale, Miami more importantly represents the ideal meeting point between North and South America allowing attendees to come together in a cross continental exchange of ideas and interests, which is what made the event such a success in its inaugural year when over 200 attendees from across the regions gathered for focused deal making and industry shaping debate.

Speaking of the 2010 event,  Ron Czerny, Chair MEF LatAm said; “One of MEF’s goals for the event was to exploit the organization’s global footprint and strong representation in both regions to facilitate cross-border business.. Utilizing innovative programming including a round table Leadership Summit format, MEF facilitated an interactive discussion amongst business leaders to take a deep dive into the industry’s critical issues and business opportunities.”

Full details of the savings you can make on registering before the October 7 deadline can be found on the event website. It's worth noting too that the deadline for speaker submissions has also been extended, so MEF members can still propose speakers for the many panels to be hosted.

MEF Connects… event roundup

As you may know, MEF provides its members unrivalled opportunities for business development and facilitates brand visibility for mobile content and commerce leaders on a global scale. Exclusive event co-ordination and participation with significant member discounts is just one of the many benefits our members enjoy. MEF is involved in numerous events around the world in the coming months, many exclusively organised by MEF for the benefit of our members and the wider industry. An events calendar can be found on the MEF homepage and is continually updated with new events of interest across the mobile spectrum. Such events are always being suggested by our members, so it's worth checking the calendar frequently to ensure you’re up to date with where in the world you need to be to avoid missing the best gatherings in the world of mobile content and commerce.

A roundup of all our current events can be found after the break, with details of some fantastic savings and opportunities for MEF members – click continue reading to check out what we have lined up for the rest of the year..

MEF announces the return of MEF Americas 2011 - Mobile content and Commerce



MEF has formally announced the return of its hugely popular MEF Americas 2011- Mobile Content & Commerce conference. This prestigious event is to be held on the 29-30th November 2011 in the fabulous Fontainebleu resort, Miami Beach Florida, the ideal meeting place between North & South America. This annual gathering is set to be the must-attend event of Q4 for mobile professionals from right across the mobile value chain looking to looking to do business in the Americas. Last year’s was cited as the “deal making event of the year”, and all signs point towards a repeat performance for 2011 with confirmed first speakers including Citibank, Coca-Cola and MTV. Registration for this unmissable event is now open, and those who get theirs in before the 30th September can take advantage of the early bird discount to make significant savings on the cost of entry.