How far would someone go to hire a CMA® (Certified Management Accountant)? That’s the question at the heart of IMA’s new global, integrated marketing campaign, launched today. The multi-channel campaign was developed in partnership with The Gate | New York, an international advertising agency and marketing services company, for the sixth consecutive year. It uses TV, digital, social media, radio, and search-engine marketing, including three TV spots, and has global extensions in IMA’s regions.
Continuing the theme of last year’s campaign, the ads emphasize that the CMA “makes all the difference” and on the rising demand for professionals who can turn data into strategic insights. While last year’s campaign struck a serious note, this year’s campaign takes a humorous approach to the lengths that recruiters, finance teams, and CEOs would go to in order to hire and keep the best accounting and finance staff—that is, those who have earned the CMA. The message is that finance and accounting professionals with a CMA will always be in demand.
The ads are accessible here:
“We’re currently looking at a tight job market amid an economy rebounding from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Jeff Thomson, CMA, CSCA, CAE, president and CEO of IMA® (Institute of Management Accountants). “Hiring managers are looking for finance and accounting talent with the ability to look beyond the numbers and gain insights where others cannot, and mounting job vacancies show they’re not finding that talent easily. The CMA equips professionals to fill these roles, which is why this campaign focuses on the rapidly rising premium on certified finance talent and how the CMA can give an enormous boost to one’s employability and career prospects.”
Other messaging for the campaign emphasizes how the CMA instills in certified professionals the 12 most crucial practice areas in management accounting, including planning and analysis, performance management, and risk management. By earning a CMA, finance and accounting professionals are able to contribute actively to organizational strategy as business partners, armed with data that drives decision making. This means that CMAs are well-positioned to make the leap from more traditional and junior-level finance roles into strategic leadership positions.
“CMAs are in such demand, companies often compete for them,” said David Bernstein, chief creative officer, The Gate. “So, in this campaign, we showed how far co-workers, clients, CFOs, and recruiters will go in order to work with them.”
The campaign will include digital and TV ads, a concurrent public relations campaign, and promotions on IMA’s website and social channels.
Do Your Part
All IMA members are invited to help spread the word about the new ad campaign. Members are encouraged to share a link to the lead commercial on social media, which can help to raise the brand awareness and credibility of the CMA.
To learn more about the CMA, visit www.cmacertification.org.