IMA^® (Institute of Management Accountants) members in four new regional markets will begin to see TV commercials this month showcasing the value of their CMA^® (Certified Management Accountant) certification. The four new markets – Dallas, Los Angeles, Portland, Ore., and San Francisco – are the second wave of a multi-year integrated ad campaign that will run across a variety of media channels, including TV, radio, print, and digital formats.

The centerpiece of the campaign is a 30-second television commercial. With a tagline, “You’ve got to earn it,” the commercial features a new CMA getting a tattoo to commemorate earning his certification, while three colleagues watch and argue about who gets to go next. The ad premiered last September during late-night television shows such as The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Conan, and Saturday Night Live. That first wave focused on six regional markets: New York, Houston, Detroit, Chicago, Minneapolis, and Phoenix.

The next wave of the ad campaign also will focus on late-night television, but with the addition of a new program, the hit CNBC television series, Shark Tank (national reruns). The ads will also be newly broadcast on Hulu TV and on Pandora streaming internet radio.

“What’s exciting about this campaign is its message about the sense of pride and mastery of management accounting issues that comes with earning your CMA. While other certification programs might find it acceptable to grandfather in their candidates, with the CMA, you’ve got to earn it,” said Jeff Thomson, CMA, CAE, IMA president and CEO. “We encourage all of our CMAs to help spread the word about this campaign – talk it up on social media, play the ad at your meetings, consider a ‘viewing party’ for your professional colleagues. We’re pleased that this new campaign is resulting in a surge of interest in our certification, and we fully anticipate continuing that momentum.”

The content of the ad is clearly focused on garnering the attention of Millennials, who account for the largest portion of today’s work force. According to research by The Gate, the agency that developed the ad, 40% of adults ages 26 to 40 have at least one tattoo (and 43% of people with tattoos think a tattoo with a personal meaning is the most important factor).

In addition to this advertising effort, the media campaign also includes a new IMA website experience and a public relations initiative focusing on the importance of certification. Feature news articles about the campaign have appeared online in Accounting Today and Associations Now Daily News, an ASAE (American Society of Association Executives) publication.

All IMA members can help spread the word, too! Keep an eye out for the ads on IMA’s Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages. Like and share these exciting ads with your social media network.

For more information about CMA certification, visit the IMA website at http://www.imanet.org/cma-certification.