Best advanced programs for brand strategists

I’m planning a spring 2025 upskill and want something beyond tactics — ideally a 10–12 week program that sharpens positioning systems and teaches equity measurement (BAV, Category Entry Points, Distinctive Assets). If you’ve done Ritson’s Mini MBA or the IPA Excellence Diploma, what moved the needle most for long-horizon brand health and day-to-day positioning choices?

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Mini MBA moved the needle when I turned the CEP module into a quick ‘entry-point x asset’ tracker — monthly, 100–200 gen-pop responses to ‘in [situation], which brand and cue come to mind?’, then we rebriefed media and creative against the weak cells; IPA was great but more essay-led than operational. Do you already have a baseline asset test?

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