Membership Categories

There are 3 types of membership to the IPA

• Corporate Membership (Incorporated Practitioner in Advertising)
• Individual Membership (MIPA / Cert MIPA Dip)
• IPA Agencies (FIPA)

Corporate Membership (Incorporated Practitioner in Advertising)

To become a corporate member an agency needs to demonstrate

• professional competence in the eyes of peers, clients and suppliers
• independence of both individual clients and media;
• proven financial stability, including at least 2 years' trading;
• viable size (gross income over £440k pa);
• no recent history of insolvency or other voluntary financial arrangements or Director's disqualifications;
• commitment to achieving CPD accreditation within 2 years of joining;
• the upholding of legal and ethical standards, including the IPA Bye-laws, British Codes of Advertising Practice and Sales Promotion, and rulings of the Advertising Standards Authority and OFCOM.

Corporate membership is by application and election. The process is as follows:

• agency submits an application form, which is vetted by the IPA membership and finance teams;
• if approved, the agency is visited by a representative of the IPA Membership Committee;
• if the Committee's recommendation is favourable, the application is put before IPA Council for final approval;
• if approved, the IPA formally invites the agency to come into membership;
• the agency is required to sign and return the invitation letter to the IPA.

Download PDF Membership Appliction form Fill out the Online Membership Form

Ongoing Commitment to Retain Membership

To retain its IPA Corporate Membership year on year the agency needs to:

• pay its subscription in full by the due date;
• uphold the legal and ethical standards, including the IPA Bye-laws, British Codes of Advertising Practice and Sales Promotion, and rulings of the Advertising Standards Authority and OFCOM.
• achieve CPD accreditation within 2 years of joining and then maintain the standard in subsequent years. (The deadline for existing members to commit to CPD is the Council meeting in December 2007. Any agency that does not make a commitment by this date will be given a final warning at the Council meeting in March 2008, before facing the ultimate sanction of expulsion from membership, which would be enforced at the AGM in April 2008.)

Any agency that has achieved accreditation in previous years but does not for whatever reason achieve the standard in a current year, will be able to have its accreditation status deferred for 12 months. However, if the agency still does not achieve the standard at the following submission date, the process of a final warning in March and expulsion in April will be applied.

In the event of an agency wishing to resign from membership, the IPA must be notified in writing prior to 1st November to avoid subscriptions becoming due for the whole of the following year.

Individual IPA Membership (MIPA / Cert MIPA Dip)

A successful MIPA applicant needs to:

• be in the employment of a corporate member (**);
• have their application endorsed by the head of their agency;
• have successfully completed 3 consecutive years' CPD and continue to practice CPD as evidenced by his/her log;
• have successfully passed either the Foundation Certificate (to become MIPA Cert.) or the Excellence Diploma (to become MIPA Dip.).

** There is a 6-month grace period for any individual who satisfies all these criteria, but ceases their employment with a corporate agency, to apply for membership.

Seniority/experience examination exemption:

An individual who is employed by a corporate member and who holds a senior position (i.e. Chairman, CEO, MD, Creative / Client Services / Planning Director) and/or is greatly experienced (i.e. 10 years or more) in the industry, should be put forward for MIPA (but not MIPA Cert. or MIPA Dip.) status, which would require completion of 3 consecutive years' CPD and ongoing annual CPD practice (or possibly FIPA status).

• This exemption route would require the completion of an exemption notice and an interview with a board made up of Membership Committee members.

There are 3 levels of MIPA

• MIPA (for existing MIPAs* and new appointments only in the case of those who qualify via the seniority/experience exemption route);
• MIPA Cert.
• MIPA Dip.

Download PDF Individual Membership Appliction form Fill out the Online Membership Form

Ongoing Commitment to Retain Membership

Once an individual has attained the status of MIPA (via the seniority/experience exemption route), MIPA Cert. or MIPA Dip., his/her retention of the title (but not the examination certificate) is conditional upon him/her:

• upholding the IPA's Bye-laws;
• maintaining the required level of CPD activity (i.e. 16 hours per year). Should the individual fail to maintain this level of activity in any subsequent year, the title would be removed - and would not be re-awarded until the individual has completed another full year of CPD activity.

MIPAs leaving the employment of a corporate member:

• If a new MIPA (who has qualified via the seniority/experience exemption route), MIPA Cert. or MIPA Dip. should leave the employment of a corporate member, the individual would be allowed to remain in personal membership as long as he/she pays a yearly subscription of £150 (inc. VAT) and continues to practise CPD.
• For existing MIPAs*, the CPD criteria would not apply, although they would need to pay the £150 (inc. VAT) yearly fee.

Retiring MIPAs:

• For a MIPA to retain his/her status after retiring, he/she would need to pay the £150 (inc. VAT) yearly fee. The CPD criteria would not apply.

MIPAs wishing to resign:

• Any MIPA wishing to resign would need to give notice in writing to the IPA prior to 1st November and pay all subscriptions (if any) due, to avoid paying the following year's annual membership subscription (if applicable).

Benefits

Personal membership entitles the holder to:

• while serving with a member agency, participate in the annual elections of the IPA Council (Personal Class);
• use the designation MIPA., MIPA Cert. or MIPA Dip. (as appropriate)
• Personal membership in itself does not allow access to other IPA services, such as the Information Centre, legal advice or training and development events, which are restricted to corporate membership.
• Existing MIPAs are those who were awarded the title before 1st July 2005.

Fellow (FIPA)

Fellowship status is in the gift of the IPA Membership Committee/Council, to be conferred upon individuals by election, in recognition of their exceptional contribution to the IPA.

A Fellowship should only be awarded to an individual who:

• is in the employment of a corporate member;
• has, ideally, been a MIPA for a minimum of 5 years (although the Membership Committee/Council has the right to appoint non-MIPAs if their contributions are deemed worthy of the accolade).

Ongoing Commitment to Retain Membership

A Fellowship is a lifetime award (subject to adherence to the Bye-laws), although Fellows are entitled to resign.

Unlike MIPAs, there is no charge for a FIPA who leaves a corporate member to retain his/her Fellowship and associated benefits.

Benefits

Fellows enjoy the same benefits as MIPAs (see above), except of course they are entitled to use the designation FIPA.

A Fellowship in itself does not allow access to other IPA services, such as the Information Centre, legal advice or training and development events, which are restricted to corporate membership.