Bulletin #7: Bold Voices, Smarter Certification, & What's Ahead

Dear members & partners,

Big things are happening at IAE, and we want you in the loop! This month’s updates reflect bold action: new leadership, IAE in the news, faster certification, and what's coming next to bring ethics to the world of influencer marketing.

Welcoming Phil Cowdell to the Advisory Council

Phil Cowdell, Global Chief Strategy Officer at Channel Factory and former President of WPP’s GroupM North America and Global President of Client Services joins the IAE Advisory Council. He is a strategic voice in the transformation of media and marketing and has helped shape the integrity agendas of brands, agencies, and holding companies worldwide. His work bridges business performance and public trust, a natural fit for IAE’s mission. 

Phil joins as we deepen our collaboration across sectors and expand our leadership community guiding ethics in advertising.

Torn from the Pages of Advertising Age

In a bold industry call to action, Ad Age features the Institute for Advertising Ethics and its growing movement to rebuild trust across the media marketplace. With IAE ethics certifications now conferred to leaders at P&G, Omnicom, and 200 other leading companies, the piece explores how doing right is becoming a business imperative, not just a moral one.

Read here how the IAE is helping brands turn values into value. 

CEAE 2.0 Release: An Hour of Power

The Certified Ethical Advertising Executive (CEAE) program has been streamlined. Same content. Same credential. Less time.

Now updated monthly, the Hour of Power format allows professionals and teams to complete the full CEAE curriculum in a high-efficiency, one-hour delivery. This innovation meets the needs of modern organizations and busy leaders without compromising depth or rigor.

It’s ethics for today’s workflow — built to fit into planning calendars, team offsites, and professional development cycles.

Preview: Influencer Certification Is Coming

Share Your Win: When Doing Right Works

Doing the Right Thing Isn’t Just Right, It Works.
Maybe you took a stand for transparency. Maybe someone you know refused a misleading shortcut or pushed for honest messaging when it mattered most.

However it happened, that principled decision made a difference, earning trust, sparking growth, or cementing leadership.

If that sounds like you, or someone you admire, we want to hear the story.
Real examples help prove that ethics isn’t just an ideal; it’s a competitive advantage. Share your win. Your story can be apart of our Ethics Certified Spotlight, amplifying what ethical leadership looks like in action.

Stay Involved

Wondering how you can stay involved with the IAE and the work we're doing?

1. Get Certified: We encourage you to advance your professional development by completing the Certified Ethical Advertising Executive (CEAE) course, AI Integrity Shield course, and our free Green Shield course for greenwash prevention.

2. Stay Connected: Make sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram to stay up-to-date with the IAE as we continue to push the boundaries of ethical advertising.

3. Share Your Story: Fill out our Ethics Certified Spotlight Form, share your ethics story, and help inspire others to lead with integrity. Read about other ethical champions on our IAE Spotlight.

4.​ Donate: Your generosity powers our mission. Every contribution helps us to raise ethical standards across all aspects of advertising communications. Donate today!

Thank you for championing ethics in advertising. With your partnership, we’re building a future rooted in trust, transparency, and integrity. We’re grateful to have you on this journey!

Best,

The Institute for Advertising Ethics