KUALA LUMPUR – The Association of Accredited Advertising Agents (4As) has partnered with the UK-based Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) to introduce the IPA Foundation Certificate in Malaysia as a means to setting a common standard to measure performance for young talents to the advertising industry with less than three years experience.
This partnership is a new milestone in raising the standards of the industry while delivering on its commitment to nurture the professional development of agency talents.
“There is an urgent need to reinvigorate our industry by providing the support system, training and counsel to young talents,” says Dato’ Johnny Mun, 4As President. “The award-winning and globally-recognised IPA Foundation Certification is an essential tool for anyone starting their career in advertising.”
Mun adds that the 4As aims to set a yardstick in best practice learning through the introduction of the IPA Foundation Certificate, which is 100% HDRF claimable. To date, more than 9,000 people from over 60 countries have passed the IPA Foundation Certificate since its inception in 2003. For this calendar year, 1,500 candidates from 60 countries have enrolled in the programme.
Among the areas covered in the IPA Foundation Certificate include Advertising and Communications in Context, Understanding the Client’s Business, Strategic Planner’s Toolkit, Understanding Media Channels and Media Planning, Creativity and Creative Development.
“We’re confident this programme, customised for the marketing communications industry, will raise the professional standards of our industry and set a pathway for young talents to advance to higher levels,” notes Mun.
Participants for the IPA Foundation Certificate must complete 35 hours of online learning within three months, culminating in a two-hour offline exam supervised by the 4As. A certificate of completion is awarded to all participants who successfully pass the exam.
Mun feels that from a professional standpoint, this programme will help clients and their agencies to work more efficiently, produce better results, and grow business profits.
The introduction of the IPA Foundation Certificate is aligned to the 4As’ five pillars in promoting the value of advertising agencies with clients, the industry, and the government. The five pillars outlined by the 4As are to provide industry guidance and leadership, raise standards and professionalism, foster continuous professional development for the attraction and retention of agency talent, promote commercial creativity and its effectiveness, and work as the government’s principal source of information and advice on advertising.
Registration for the first in-take of the IPA Foundation Certificate will be open in December.
