IPA

The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) is the professional body for advertising, media and marketing communications agencies based in the United Kingdom. Established in 1917 as a not-for-profit membership body, our role is to inspire, promote, anticipate and serve our community of the brightest and best 20,000 people in the business. For all the 305 agency brands in the 231 trading companies in membership we provide core support services.

By promoting the value of agencies our aim is to influence the wider business, social and regulatory worlds so that our members can thrive and prosper. This means helping the advertising and media sector manage an annual investment in marketing expenditure of approximately £30 billion for over 3,000 companies and 5,000 brands.

We are active supporters of Government initiatives to promote the UK’s creative industries to brand owners in mature and emerging markets. Current programmes cover Brazil, China and India. We also work in close collaboration with other advertising-related industry trade bodies.

IPA membership is seen as a sign of professional competence due to its strict entry criteria which include a mandatory professional development programme and a minimum level of gross operating income. Our members are also actively involved in driving the many initiatives and annual training and awards programmes run by the IPA.

The IPA has offices in London, Blyth and Edinburgh.