December19 Wins IPA Effectiveness Accreditation 2025
Different by Design. Effective by Proof
At December19, we've always believed that being different is in our DNA.
Today, that difference has been officially recognised with our IPA Effectiveness Accreditation for 2025, one of the industry's most demanding benchmarks for agencies that don't just talk about results, but prove them.
With only two-thirds of the 63 agencies who submitted achieving accreditation this year, this recognition represents independent validation that our challenger approach to media - built on transparency, accountability, and genuine impact - actually works.
Effectiveness That Goes Beyond the Spreadsheet
The IPA Effectiveness Accreditation isn't awarded for good intentions or clever PowerPoints.
It demands proof across five rigorous criteria: Focus, People, Process, Data & Tools, and Impact. Every agency is scrutinised on whether effectiveness runs through their entire operation—not just their reporting department.
For us, this validation matters because effectiveness has never been about vanity metrics or industry awards ceremonies. It's about creating media that drives real business outcomes while building a more transparent, responsible industry future.
That's why we redefined our proposition as "Clearly Effective Media" in 2024. Because clarity and effectiveness are inseparable.
Transparency as Our Superpower
We've built our entire operation around giving clients complete visibility and control.
Our proprietary tools are transparency made tangible:
Prism - Our planning framework rooted in behavioural science, designed to align campaigns with actual business challenges, not agency convenience.
Optix - Our transparent digital trading platform that shows clients exactly where every pound goes, because hidden fees and opaque dealings belong in the past.
Oculus - Our live performance dashboard integrating data from digital, TV, OOH, and client systems, giving teams one clear view of what's actually working.
Combined with our Three-Bucket Measurement Model tracking brand, behavioural, and business outcomes, we never lose sight of what success really looks like, and neither do our clients.
People Who Think Differently
A culture of effectiveness doesn't happen by accident.
It takes people who reject "that's how we've always done it" thinking.
Since 2019, our Managing Director David Lucy has championed effectiveness across the agency, bringing his performance marketing expertise and leadership experience - including our Bronze-winning IPA Effectiveness Award entry for Xero - to drive this agenda forward.
We've embedded learning throughout the business:
85% of our team have completed the IPA Effectiveness Essentials Certificate
30% achieved the Advanced Effectiveness Certificate in 2024, several with Credit passes
Our training initiatives make effectiveness something we celebrate, not just measure
This investment means every client-facing team member can confidently discuss measurement and outcomes.
Effectiveness isn't a department here, but how we all think.
Results That Prove the Point
Effectiveness is ultimately judged by what happens in the real world. Our recent wins demonstrate that different thinking delivers different outcomes:
Xero – Bronze IPA Effectiveness Award 2024, plus three DMA Golds, proving that challenging category conventions creates competitive advantage.
Emmi UK – A regional test-and-learn approach for Emmi Caffé Latte achieved 350% uplift in customer penetration by rethinking traditional launch strategies.
Material Focus (Recycle Your Electricals) – Campaign Ad Net Zero Award winner, measured not just in brand metrics but in 7kg of precious metals recovered from electronic waste, showing media can drive genuine environmental impact.
Workspace – Robust econometric modelling validated video investment strategy, building client confidence in brand-led growth through transparent measurement.
These are proof points that transparency and fresh thinking create better business outcomes.
Our clients have become advocates for this approach too. As Sam Daniels, UK Head of Brand and Campaign Marketing at Xero, notes about our effectiveness focus: the success of December19's work for Xero has led to Sam being invited to judge the very IPA Effectiveness Accreditation entries—a testament to how our measurement approach has elevated client confidence in their own results.
Meanwhile, our measurement partner Datacove has publicly praised our collaborative approach, highlighting how December19's commitment to robust data science creates stronger outcomes for clients like Workspace, where we needed to prove the effectiveness of their move into video advertising.
Different from the Inside Out
This effectiveness focus has transformed our agency culture.
Being named one of the Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2025 reflects staff satisfaction at 97% and pride in our work at 96%. Client satisfaction sits at a record high—94% positive ratings with 93% likelihood to recommend.
The business results speak for themselves: 55% pitch win rate in 2024 and 70% year-on-year billing growth.
When you align people, process, and purpose, effectiveness becomes natural, not forced.
What Comes Next
We're proud of this recognition, but we see it as validation of our approach, not the destination.
Over the next two years, we'll continue investing in new tools, advanced measurement capabilities, and cross-industry partnerships with organisations like ISBA and Datacove.
Ethics and effectiveness aren't in conflict - they're mutually reinforcing. By staying transparent, accountable, and independent, we create media that genuinely works for clients, not just agencies.
The IPA Effectiveness Accreditation 2025 recognises what we've built so far. But the real excitement lies in what we'll challenge next.
Because at December19, being Born Different isn't just about how we started, it's about how we'll keep redefining what effective media looks like.
To learn more about IPA Effectiveness Accreditation, visit the IPA website.