The IPA Foundation Certificate is designed to build strong foundations for a career in advertising but its real impact is best understood through the people who’ve taken it.
We’ve caught up with past delegates to hear what the course gave them, how it shaped their thinking and the role it played in helping them progress to where they are today. Their reflections highlight not just the skills and knowledge gained, but the confidence and career momentum that can come from investing in strong fundamentals.
I’ve been in the business 22 years so much of what I learned in the Foundation Certificate – I did the Advanced one too btw! – has been hugely updated. But getting my distinction was a moment I’ll never forget, and my Dad was so proud he went and bought copies of all the newspapers it appeared in to frame the announcement and the certificate. In fact both certificates are still framed in my office!
I suppose while I’ve probably forgotten much of the course material, the course opened my eyes to the IPA as an incredible repository of knowledge and standard setting, and I continued my learning journey and used it for all sorts of insights, and a spot of legal advice every now and then too (for clients, not for me!)
I now sit on the Council and am part of the Membership Committee, trying to give back as much as I can.
Marie-Anna Thomas, Senior New Business & Marketing Executive, Havas London
Lisa Morgan, Group Managing Director, Generation Media
Awarded 2005
Whilst it was over 20 years ago that I sat the Foundation Certificate, so I would be stretched to recall the specific learnings from the course material, I do remember very clearly the role it played in giving me a brilliant early insight into the industry I had just entered. It helped put the wider media and communications landscape into context and, importantly, emphasised the value of ongoing training and development in what is a constantly evolving industry.
It also very much put the IPA on the map for me as a key industry body supporting professional standards and learning in our industry. I also vividly remember the certificate awards ceremony and having my photo taken with the then President, it made the achievement feel significant at a very early stage in my career and reinforced the sense of being part of a wider professional industry.
Fast forward to today and I now sit on the IPA Council, and I have a real passion for learning and young talent development. Building a culture of continuous development has been a core part of how we have grown our agency, and I am proud that this commitment has resulted in us achieving 12 consecutive years of IPA CPD Gold accreditation.
Looking back, the Foundation Certificate was one of the early touchpoints that highlighted the importance of structured learning in our industry, something that has stayed with me throughout my career and helped me and our business to succeed.
Jacob Knight, MG OMD
Christine Li, Executive Director, BBDO Beijing
Awarded 2015
I completed the qualification, and it genuinely laid the groundwork for my career in advertising. More than just a certificate, it gave me a clear, structured understanding of the industry’s fundamentals: how brands operate, how campaigns are planned and measured, how client relationships work, and how creativity balance with client business purpose. These are not just theoretical lessons; they’re practical frameworks I still draw on daily.
What has stayed with me most is the disciplined, commercial mindset it instilled. Early in my career, it helped me speak confidently with clients, ask the right questions, and justify ideas with clear logic. It also gave me credibility at a junior level and opened doors to roles I might not have been considered for otherwise. Over the years, that solid base has let me take on more senior responsibilities, lead projects, and mentor junior team members - often using the same core principles I first learned through the IPA.
The certificate’s emphasis on strategic thinking was paramount to me understanding that a planners role went beyond spots and space on an excel sheet. It instilled the discipline of asking 'why' before 'how' – understanding the client's business challenge, the consumer insight and the desired outcome before even thinking about tactics or channels. This foundational understanding of the strategic process, from brief to evaluation, has been a constant companion throughout my career. It's the core of what we do in planning.
I recall specific modules that delved into consumer psychology and market research – insights that, even with today's advanced data analytics and AI, remain fundamentally relevant. Understanding human behaviour, motivations, and decision-making is timeless, and the certificate provided an excellent introduction to these critical areas.
For me the certificate is a recognised qualification of understanding the craft of advertising. It demonstrates that the person holding the certificate has foundational knowledge of how advertising works and can apply the knowledge to business.
I hold the IPA dear. It is the arbiter of advertising. I've used the learnings from the IPA continuously and effectively both to advise clients and to invest as a client.
Andy Collins, Head of Planning, Wavemaker
Awarded 2010
Wow, that feels like a lifetime ago. I think I did it in my first year in media, just after I joined MEC. And having just had my 17th anniversary at MEC/Wavemaker, I think it’s stood in good stead.
I remember it giving me an amazing grounding in all things media. Equipping me with a foundational understanding of how media worked, the role of different advertising touchpoints, how we (as planners) need to make decisions on behalf of our clients.
It set me on a path that ultimately led me to do the IPA Excellence Diploma in 2017/18.
