Completion of the Trained Advertising Specialist (TAS) Certificate Program offers professionals an earned certificate. Professionals pursuing their CAS Certificate are required to:

• Possess a current PPAI login (formerly UPIC/registered e-mail address and password)
• Presently serve in a position with a promotional products company
• Complete all dedicated courses in our Trained Advertising Specialist Package

1. Register for our Trained Advertising Specialist Package and pay the fee.
2. Complete all dedicated courses, including the quiz associated with each course.
3. Review your Certification Transcript to ensure you have completed all program requirements.
4. Complete and submit the Trained Advertising Specialist Certificate (TAS) Package Application.

Upon completion of the Trained Advertising Specialist (TAS) Package, you will receive a link to print your TAS certificate of completion.

There are no recertification requirements. This is a certificate of completion, NOT a certification.

• PPAI Member Fee: $25
• Qualified Non-Member Fee: $50

Trained Advertising Specialist (TAS) Certificate Information Sheet

The Certified Advertising Specialist (CAS) Program offers an earned certification and requires professionals to:

• Presently serve in a position with a promotional products company
• Possess a Trained Advertising Specialist (TAS) Certificate
• Complete all dedicated courses in the Certified Advertising Specialist Package, which includes:
  • Approximately 25 courses
  • One quiz per course
• Earn 25 CAS- or MAS-level elective credits

1. Register for our Certified Advertising Specialist (CAS) Package and pay the fee.
2. Complete all dedicated courses, including the quiz associated with each course.
   1. For each quiz, you must answer four out of five questions correctly (a score of 80%), with up to three attempts to pass.
3. Earn 25 CAS- or MAS-level elective credits.
4. Review your Certification Transcript to ensure you’ve completed all program requirements.
5. Complete and submit the Certified Advertising Specialist (CAS) Package Application.

When you earn your PPAI industry certification, your achievement is celebrated in the PPAI Newslink, PPB publication and a customizable press release.

In order to maintain your hard-earned certification, you must recertify every three years. All designees must earn 30 additional education credits every three years and submit a Recertification Application.  

Recertification Fee
PPAI Members: $75
PPAI Associates: $150

Certified Advertising Specialist (CAS) Certification 

The Master Advertising Specialist (MAS) Program offers an earned certification and requires professionals to:

• Presently serve in a position with a promotional products company
• Possess at least three years of promotional products industry experience (does not have to be consecutive years)
• Possess a current Certified Advertising Specialist (CAS) Certification
• Complete all dedicated courses in the Master Advertising Specialist Package, which includes:
  • Approximately 15 courses
  • One quiz per course
• Earn 35 MAS-level elective credits

1. Register for our Master Advertising Specialist (MAS) Package and pay the fee.
2. Complete all dedicated courses, including the quiz associated with each course.
   • For each quiz, you must answer four out of five questions correctly (a score of 80%), with up to three attempts to pass.
3. Earn 35 MAS-level elective credits.
4. A maximum of 15 industry service credits may be applied to your initial certification elective credit requirement.
5. Review your Certification Transcript to ensure you have completed all program requirements.
6. Complete and submit the Master Advertising Specialist (MAS) Package Application.

In order to maintain your hard-earned certification, you must recertify every three years. All designees must earn 30 additional CAS or MAS education credits every three years and submit a Recertification Application.  

Recertification Fee
PPAI Members: $75
Qualified Non-Member: $150

Master Advertising Specialist (MAS) Certification Information Sheet

The PPAI Master Advertising Specialist Plus (MAS+) certification is a PPAI program aimed at providing seasoned promotional products professionals an avenue for earning an advanced industry certification that demonstrates their proficiency of promotional products industry concepts and business practices.

The MAS+ certification is awarded to eligible promotional products applicants who have met all program requirements and have demonstrated their promotional products knowledge through a hands-on professional work product. The MAS+ certification candidate will have acquired advanced industry knowledge demonstrated by both an approved work project and by having earned a Master Advertising Specialist (MAS) certification, currently in-good-standing. Once earned, MAS+ certifications do not require further recertification.

The PPAI Master Advertising Specialist Plus (MAS+) certification applicants must meet the following criteria to be eligible* for the MAS+ certification:

• Presently serving in a position with a promotional products company with a minimum of seven years of verifiable promotional products industry experience.
  • Provide verification of employment and experience by submitting a copy of a current résumé
• Hold a valid, in-good-standing Master Advertising Specialist (MAS) certification
• Have earned a minimum of 225 total cumulative education credits
  • All education credits must be listed on the applicant’s PPAI transcript at the time of Master Advertising Specialist Plus (MAS+) certification application submission
  • 50 credits must have been earned within the last five years
  • Up to 15 Industry Service credits can count toward the 225 earned education credits
• Complete the PPAI Master Advertising Specialist Plus (MAS+) certification application form
• Pay the PPAI Master Advertising Specialist Plus (MAS+) certification program fee upon approval of application
• Submit a detailed work project which meets all Master Advertising Specialist Plus (MAS+) certification project guidelines including project category within one year of application approval

*PPAI reserves the right to make a determination of the validity or appropriateness of all applicant submitted material and will verify successful completion of all required criteria.

Project Eligibility Criteria

MAS+ Projects must meet the following criteria* to be considered an eligible project submission:

1. Originated by the MAS+ candidate
2. Completed no sooner than five years prior to the time of the candidate’s MAS+ application submission
3. Constitutes at least 30 hours of documented work
4. Demonstrates the candidates advanced knowledge of promotional products industry concepts and business practices
5. Demonstrates proficiency in creating and implementing solutions to support and serve as best practices for the promotional products industry
6. Contains a visual representation that is suitable for presentation to industry peers. Submissions will be presented as case studies to the industry. MAS+ designees may be asked to present their case studies as an education session/webinar or a feature in PPB.

Acceptable projects may include (but are not limited to):

• Submission of a Client Program Pyramid Award Winning Project (distributor)
• Business to Business Programs
• Client Branding Programs
• Consumer Programs
• Diversity, Social Responsibility or Multicultural Programs
• Educational Programs
• Employee Incentive and Recognition Programs
• Internal Communication Programs
• Not-for-Profit Programs
• Political/Legislative Programs
• Sales Incentives Programs
• Tradeshow/Exhibit Traffic Programs
• Distributor/Supplier Collaboration
• A business or sales plan
• A marketing program or campaign
• Plan for product safety compliance (supplier)

Projects that are not generally regarded as acceptable, include:

• Volunteer service
• A single course or seminar delivered on behalf of the industry

*PPAI reserves the right to make a determination of the validity or appropriateness of all applicant submitted material and will verify successful completion of all required criteria.

1. Complete the online application
   1. Verify the successful completion of all MAS+ program requirements
   2. Provide a 500-word maximum summary of the proposed MAS+ project idea
2. Review the results of your application – A committee will review your application and provide feedback within 10 business days
   1. “Ready for Submission” means the applicant has met the MAS+ requirements and the project idea has been approved for full submission. Proceed to step 3.
   2. “Not Ready for Submission” means the applicant did not meet one or more of the MAS+ requirements, and/or the project idea is not approved for full submission
      1.  If the application is “Not Ready for Submission”, then the candidate will receive an email confirmation with appropriate feedback and instructions on how to resubmit their application. The applicant may choose to:
         1. Resubmit application – go back to step 1
         2. Decide not to proceed with MAS+ application
3. Submit completed MAS+ project and pay an evaluation fee

1. Written narrative of the design, development, and implementation of the project (suitable for publication and/or use as an industry best practice):
   1. Word document: Minimum 850 words; Maximum 1500 words
      1. Project Title
      2. Project Objective or Goal
         1. Describe the overall aim or focus of the project
         2. Define the intended goal
      3. Project Development
         1. Outline the scope of the project
         2. Summarize your specific role in the project origination
            1. If this was a group effort, this includes specifics as to what your role was versus the role of other contributors
      4. Project Implementation
         1. Describe your overall approach
         2. Outline the strategy or plan to capture measurable results
         3. Present any challenges encountered
            1. Explain what these challenges were and how they were addressed
      5. Project Results
         1. Describe the project’s success and outline how this was measured
         2. Summarize what makes this project unique
         3. Explain the project’s benefits
2. Visual representation of the project
   1. PowerPoint presentation: Minimum 10 slides; Maximum 40 slides
   2. Suitable for presentation to industry peers. Submissions will be presented as case studies to the industry.
   3. MAS+ designees may be asked to present their case studies as an education session/webinar or a feature in PPB.

*PPAI reserves the right to determine the validity or appropriateness of a submitted project.

Criteria
Minimum Requirements:

• Possess a current PPAI Number (formerly upic/registered email address and password).
• Serve in a position with a promotional products company
• Possess a minimum of three years of verifiable industry experience (does not have to be consecutive years)

Additional Requirements (meet 1 or more):

• Bachelor's Degree (or higher) in Promotional Products related field (i.e. marketing, advertising, business, etc.)
• 3+ years of industry experience (does not have to be consecutive years)
• Comparable certification from another agency or organization
• Current service in a senior management position for a Promotional Products company

The Fast Track application requires you to submit a current resume. 

The resume is our standard for verifying an applicant’s work history, education, credentials, etc.

If you don’t currently have a resume, here are a few tools available for creating one:

• LinkedIn Profile: “View” option—choose “Export to PDF”, and your profile will be saved as a PDF in a resume-style format.
• Online resume creator
• Online resume builder
• Microsoft Office resume templates

• PPAI Member Fee: $125
• PPAI Associate Fee: $200

                                    
PPAI reserves the right to make a determination of the validity or appropriateness of all applicant-submitted material and will verify successful completion of all required criteria.

*Includes Fast Track fee and TAS Fee