Advanced Certificate in Effectiveness Syllabus

Syllabus

Module 1: Introduction to Effectiveness Testing

Explore why measuring effectiveness is essential to modern marketing. Learn how effectiveness studies demonstrate ROI, strengthen client relationships, and inform smarter decision-making. Hear from industry leaders on how building an effectiveness culture adds value to clients, organisations, and the wider marketing industry.

It includes:

• explain the key drivers of an effectiveness culture
• recall the strategic frameworks of Binet and Field and Byron Sharp
• locate key effectiveness resources, including the IPA Effectiveness Databank case studies including how it works and the key benefits for both businesses and affiliates, and more

Module 2: Planning for Effectiveness

Build effectiveness into your marketing strategy from the outset. Learn to design robust measurement plans, apply a ‘test and learn’ approach, and model potential outcomes. By the end, you’ll be ready to guide clients and partners with confidence, ensuring strategies that deliver accountability and growth.

It includes:

• plan for your marketing strategy’s effectiveness from the outset
• define how you’ll measure success, based on clear business and communication objectives, before the campaign begins
• adopt an iterative ‘test and learn’ approach
• create a robust, shareable effectiveness strategy that is inclusive of the stakeholders

Module 3: Input measures (PESO)

Cut through the noise of today’s data-rich environment to focus on the measures that truly matter. Identify and apply key metrics across Paid, Earned, Shared and Owned channels, and integrate them into a single model of success to guide brands with clarity and impact.

It includes:

• identify the key metrics for activity across Paid, Earned, Shared and Owned channels
• describe the role and characteristics of activity across these categories in the marketing model
• work with colleagues and partners to combine these metrics into a single model of success for your clients

Module 4: Output Measures

Learn to evaluate campaign impact using the metrics that matter most to clients and stakeholders. Connect brand activity with business outcomes, assess customer growth, retention and satisfaction. Delegates will find an overview of the core business measures for marketing, including; hard business measures, measuring price and understanding the price elasticity of demand. The module also covers public sector evaluation and highlights diversity, equality, inclusivity and climate impact.

It includes:

• use different types of Output Metrics to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of a campaign
• understand the importance of producing work that embraces Diversity, Equality and Inclusivity
• identify the challenges public sector campaigns face and how to use key frameworks during development
• appreciate the importance of measuring climate impact for all campaigns, in order to demonstrate to clients a sustainable and responsible approach to the work

Module 5: Telling the Story

Communicate the true impact of your marketing activity. Learn to isolate campaign effects, interpret econometric analysis, and apply commercial definitions of payback. Present clear, evidence-based insights to guide investment decisions, improve strategies over time, and create compelling case studies that demonstrate the real value of the work to all stakeholders. This will help you write award winning compelling narratives about your campaigns, get ready to celebrate!

It includes:

• isolate the impact of the activity from other potential drivers of that effect, both with and without econometric analysis
• explain econometric analysis and how it can be used to demonstrate effectiveness
• write an IPA Effectiveness Awards case study for submission to awards

IPA Effectiveness Awards Case Studies

To help bring the learning to life we have included a selection of winning IPA Effectiveness Awards Case Studies that students can download and keep.

Recommended Resources

We have also provided a list of recommended resources, ranging from articles to books, that we encourage students to explore as wider reading on the subject matter.

Final Exam

Students must pass a formal online exam to achieve the Certificate. The exam comprises of multiple choice, mathematical and short form essay questions.

Qualification Contributors

Qualification editor and principle author

Fern Miller, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Uncharted

Fern’s career in strategy spans 20 years in agencies like DLKW, JWT, Karmarama, Digitas, Native Design, R/GA and most recently co founding an independent creative agency, Uncharted in 2024. Her breadth of skills span creative brand building, research, digital, product and service design, across global markets; in agencies, start-ups and client teams. Over the course of her career she has worked with brands such as HBoS, Unicef, Virgin Atlantic, AstraZeneca, the BBC, Burberry, Snapchat, Lego, Sony PlayStation and Burger King to name but a few.

Contributing authors

• Jo Arden, Chief Strategy Officer, AMV BBDO
• Simon Atherley, Head of Marketing Effectiveness, Kantar UK
• Nick Beevors, Head of Strategy, Armadillo
• James Davies, Head of Marketing Strategy, Insight and Effectiveness, HSBC
• Laurence Green, Director of Effectiveness, IPA
• Helene Hainneville, Insight and Analysis Director, Armadillo
• Gen Kobayashi, UK Group Chief Strategy Officer, M+C Saatchi Group
• Spyros Maliadis, Media Effectiveness Business Director, Manning Gottlieb OMD
• Callum McCahon, Chief Strategy Officer, Born Social
• Dino Myers-Lamptey, Founder, The Barber Shop
• Preety Nimoh, Business Director – Marketing Science, PHD
• Jo Penn, Managing Director, Armadillo
• James Ray, Chief Executive Officer, Armadillo
• Leo Rayman, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, EdenLab
• Emma Scoular, Executive Director - Effectiveness, Manning Gottlieb OMD
• Asad Shaykh, Head of Strategy, Grey
• Rob Voase, Strategy Director, Armadillo