For decades, the standard path into a professional marketing career was simple: finish school, head to university for three years, graduate with a degree, and start applying for entry-level roles. In 2026, that playbook is rapidly changing. With rising higher education costs, evolving employer preferences, and a digital marketing landscape that transforms almost monthly, school […]
Some models used for marketing are incredibly enduring – yet with some consideration of the content they can be applied to many and varied situations. Porter’s Five Forces of Competition is definitely one of those models. I was considering that this week when refreshing material for the Responsible Marketing module of the CIM | The […]
Sometimes there are things that make me think “why didn’t they do that in the first place?”. One of those moments came when seeing the latest promotions from Jaguar, particularly those done in partnership with the FT. I doubt I need to remind anyone about the Jaguar promotional video and wider messaging which they used […]
Every brand eventually hits a bit of a wall. Customer expectations shift, the cost of cocoa (and everything else) spirals, and suddenly, the strategy that kept a brand at the top for a decade starts to feel a little dusty. For Hotel Chocolat, that moment arrived after 21 years of remarkable consistency. Rather than just […]
As the festive season approaches, brands are unveiling their Christmas adverts, each aiming to capture consumer attention in a crowded marketplace. This year, several campaigns have sparked discussions by embracing controversy, highlighting how bold narratives can differentiate a brand. Boots: Reimagining Mrs. Claus Boots’ 2024 Christmas advert features Adjoa Andoh as a modern Mrs. Claus, […]
At SPA Professional Academy we want to support Marketing Professionals to make themselves indispensable and stand out from the crowd. One of the most common (and favourite!) emails we get from our student alumni are to celebrate that they have achieved a promotion or got their new dream job – thanks to the skills and […]
Are you keen to boost your marketing career but unsure where to start? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. With so many marketing courses out there, it can feel like trying to find a needle in a haystack. That’s where we come in. At SPA Professional Academy, a CIM Accredited Study Centre, we offer CIM Marketing […]
News that the ASA have banned adverts for Huel and Zoe because they featured an influencer/celebrity who had a interest which wasn’t disclosed within the advertising highlights the need for care when using influencers in promotion. Whilst it is quite acceptable to use influencers, and can make a massive difference, being open about it being […]
Today is one of those days when an email comes in with some good news, and with it some relief – confirmation of Chartered Marketer status for another year for our Principal, Andy Sherratt. Andy has been a Chartered Marketer with CIM since the status was introduced in 1998, it requires proof of continuous professional […]
SPA Professional Academy are delighted to be able to offer the new syllabus from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), details of which have just been released. We will be delivering the new syllabus for all candidates starting their course from September this year – for the Level 3 Foundation Certificate, Level 4 Certificate and […]
Thank you again to all our wonderful students who helped us to gain more commendations from CIM for our assessment results from the April 2024 assessment session. We achieved a 100% pass rate across all modules again for April – commendations are given for the percentage of passes but also require a minimum number of […]
Is it right to say that an organisation has done phenomenal things despite it making what can only be classed as massive losses? The title of this blog is taken from the heading in an article in Car Dealer Magazine as a quote from someone discussing Cazoo and Cinch, the online used car dealers classified […]
