Matching 20 brand leaders of tomorrow with world-class thinkers and cutting-edge makers via face-to-face classrooms: reading, debate, imaginative coursework, a mentoring programme and three fully immersive modules: Level Set, Skill Set and Mind Set.
Dubbed the “MBA of Brands” by graduates, this qualification, the 2006 brainchild of Nick Kendall (former Global Head of Planning, BBH and Co-Founder of Electric Glue) and Stephen Woodford (CEO Advertising Association and former agency head) was re-imagined in 2019 by Sera Holland (Miller) and Amelia Torode, cofounders of The Fawnbrake Collective. In 2026, the qualification will be chaired by Laurence Green, Director of Effectiveness at the IPA, and Fern Miller, co-founder and CSO at Unchartered, who are looking forward to putting their stamp on it.
Candidates are challenged with imaginative coursework, including writing assignments, participating in high-intensity sprint pitches, and delivering public presentations. They are matched with an industry mentor who will serve as a sounding board for their ideas and assessments throughout the qualification.
Combining classic brand and advertising thinking with leading-edge innovation and technology, the Excellence Diploma in Brands has been designed to be intensive and inspiring, but above all, practical. The Excellence Diploma in Brands shapes careers as candidates move up to the next level of leadership. But don't take our word for it; read testimonials from Diploma graduates.
Take a look at the full syllabus
Traditionally, diploma alumni have come from strategy, planning, account management and client marketing backgrounds – but the qualification is open to all disciplines.
We do not have any education requirements for our applicants. However, we would recommend that you have at least six years of advertising/marketing industry experience. Nonetheless, individuals with less experience who can compellingly demonstrate high potential in their application are encouraged to apply.
The Excellence Diploma in Brands is an intensive 6-month qualification consisting of three modules, writing and presentation workshops, a mentoring programme, self-motivated reading outside the classrooms and the independent “I Believe” project. All the sessions are delivered in person.
All sessions are delivered in person. You will need to be available for all of them:
In addition to the dates listed above, candidates will need to liaise with their assigned mentor to organise regular mentoring sessions as per the mentoring programme timetable, which will be supplied by the IPA. Candidates will also need to submit a written assignment as part of the qualification.
Having spent a year with some of the industry's brightest and most provocative thinkers, I'm delighted to have been given the chair's prize for this year's IPA Excellence Diploma in Brands. As each day, the culture war around the basic human rights of trans people gets more and more polarised, it's more important than ever that we embrace non-binary thinking.
“Brands keeping their promises was the inspiration for my IPA I Believe. And the IPA lived up to theirs. The IPA Excellence Diploma in Brand was indeed 10 intensive months of study, written submissions, TED-style talks and Vivas. The course deserves its reputation as “the MBA of brands”. It was also brilliant fun and no better way of meeting some of the industry’s great minds.”
Lisa Gulley, Planning Director, Red Brick Road, now Board Head of Strategy, Red Brick Road
Read more testimonials from past graduates
Before you apply, ensure that you appreciate the time commitment that you are making and are available on all published qualification dates, find an internal sponsor who supports the time commitment you are making (CEO/MD) and have budget approval for the fee.
Please note that your internal sponsor and budget approver will also receive a copy of your application and notification of the application outcome.
Please respond to the question in a 500-word essay or a five-minute video: "If the only constant is change, and the only certainty is that the pace of change is going to increase - what do you think brands and agencies can do in order to innovate and flex to better suit our new business reality?"
Please note that your internal sponsor and budget approver will also receive a copy of your application and notification of the application outcome.
Apply for the 2026 intake
Please get in touch with us at [email protected] if you have any questions.
Please note: if you are taking one of our courses or qualifications through your employer or educational establishment, we may need to share your information - including your course or qualification results - with them. Virtual classrooms and Book Clubs will be recorded. For further details about how we treat your personal data, please see our privacy policy.