The Marketing Association of South Africa
MASA is the SAQA-recognised apex professional body for the South African marketing profession, awarding CMSA, MPSA, and AMSA designations and a 24-month CPD cycle to individual marketers and marketing organisations across South Africa.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersBryanston, South Africa
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Marketing Association of South Africa does
The Marketing Association of South Africa (MASA) is a non-profit company (NPC) registered in South Africa in 2006 (registration number 2006/011537/08) and headquartered in Bryanston, Johannesburg. It is the apex professional body and representative voice for the South African marketing profession, recognised by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) as the official custodian of three registered professional designations: Chartered Marketer South Africa (CMSA), Marketing Practitioner South Africa (MPSA), and Associate Marketer South Africa (AMSA). The organisation is governed by a Board of Directors and a Professional Designation Board (PDB), with no external shareholders; funding is derived from membership fees and designation certification fees.
MASA's service offering centres on the professional designation lifecycle: an entry-level AMSA, mid-level MPSA, and apex CMSA designation, each gated by a Portfolio of Qualifications and Experience (PQE) Recognition of Prior Learning assessment, mandatory orientation and preparatory workshops, and (for CMSA) a board examination. Designated members are bound by a 24-month Continuing Professional Development (CPD) cycle to maintain their credential, alongside a Code of Conduct. Adjacent services include quarterly newsletters ("The Marketer"), industry news content, in-person and virtual orientation/CMSA preparatory workshops, and industry advocacy on transformation, policy, legislation, and ethics. Distribution is primarily through a self-serve member portal at marketingsa.co.za and direct application workflows.
The operating model is association-based rather than technology-based: no proprietary software platform, app, API, or AI/ML component is disclosed. MASA is a small organisation of 1–10 employees operating at a national (South Africa) geographic scope, with social media presence across LinkedIn, X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube used for community engagement. Customer segments are individual marketing professionals (primary, seeking credentialing and CPD) and marketing organisations (secondary, seeking industry representation). Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed.
The Marketing Association of South Africa firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Marketing Association of South Africa
- Legal name
- The Marketing Association of South Africa NPC
- Website
- https://marketingsa.co.za
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- MASA is the SAQA-recognised apex professional body for the South African marketing profession, awarding CMSA, MPSA, and AMSA designations and a 24-month CPD cycle to individual marketers and marketing organisations across South Africa.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Marketing Association of South Africa industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Association Services
- NAICS
- Professional Organizations (813920), Business Associations (813910)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Finance, Accounting & Risk (CFA/CPA/FRM) Certifications (EDAAANAD)
Keywords
Where The Marketing Association of South Africa is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bryanston
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Marketing Association of South Africa business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
The Marketing Association of South Africa product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Marketing Association of South Africa (MASA) is a non-profit professional body that awards recognized marketing designations (CMSA, MPSA, AMSA) and provides membership, continuing professional development (CPD), and standards-setting services to marketing professionals and marketing organizations in South Africa. It serves as the apex voluntary industry body representing the marketing profession, offering structured designation pathways, workshops, and a CPD framework aligned with the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- MASA Membership
- CMSA Designation (Certified Marketing South Africa)
- MPSA Designation (Marketing Practitioner South Africa)
- AMSA Designation (Associate Marketing South Africa)
- PQE Process (Portfolio of Qualifications and Experience)
- PQE Orientation Workshop
Companies that use The Marketing Association of South Africa
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Marketing Association of South Africa technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Marketing Association of South Africa partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
The Marketing Association of South Africa competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- American Marketing Association (AMA): The largest professional body for marketers globally, offering memberships, professional certifications, and industry research. Directly comparable to MASA as the apex national marketing professional association in the US.
- Marketing Association of New Zealand (MA NZ): New Zealand's professional body for marketers, offering memberships and the NZ Marketing Awards. Same apex-body role within another national marketing industry.
- Marketing Society: Premium global community of senior marketers offering membership, learning, and thought leadership. Comparable apex membership community model, though typically serving more senior practitioners than MASA.
- Association of National Advertisers (ANA): US trade association representing the marketing industry on behalf of client-side marketers. Comparable industry advocacy, professional development, and standards-setting role to MASA.
- Data & Marketing Association (DMA): UK-based trade association for the data and marketing industry, providing training, certification, and policy advocacy. Comparable professional body model focused on marketing services and recognised credentials.
- Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM): UK-based chartered body awarding marketing qualifications and memberships with a similar designation framework. Closest structural analogue to MASA's Chartered Marketer model in a different geography.
- Marketing Association of Australia (MAA): Australian peak industry body for marketing, driving recognition, professionalism, and capability. Directly comparable national professional association model to MASA.
Regional players
- South African Advertising Research Foundation (SAARF): South African industry body providing marketing and media research. Operates within the same closed ecosystem of SA marketing industry associations as MASA but focuses on research rather than certification.
- Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA): Global professional body for PR and communications, sitting in an adjacent marketing-adjacent profession. Comparable membership, designation, and advocacy structure to MASA but focused on communications.
Emerging players
- Institute of Marketing Management (IMM) South Africa: South African marketing education provider offering qualifications and bursaries. Adjacent to MASA in the SA marketing credentials space, with stronger focus on academic degrees rather than professional designations.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Marketing Association of South Africa social profiles
Digital presenceThe Marketing Association of South Africa financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Marketing Association of South Africa leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Marketing Association of South Africa funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Marketing Association of South Africa M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Marketing Association of South Africa
What does The Marketing Association of South Africa do?
The Marketing Association of South Africa (MASA) is a non-profit professional body that awards recognized marketing designations (CMSA, MPSA, AMSA) and provides membership, continuing professional development (CPD), and standards-setting services to marketing professionals and marketing organizations in South Africa. It serves as the apex voluntary industry body representing the marketing profession, offering structured designation pathways, workshops, and a CPD framework aligned with the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).
Is The Marketing Association of South Africa a public or private company?
The Marketing Association of South Africa is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Marketing Association of South Africa founded?
The Marketing Association of South Africa was founded in 2006. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Marketing Association of South Africa based?
The Marketing Association of South Africa is headquartered in Bryanston, South Africa, in the Africa region.
Who are The Marketing Association of South Africa's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are American Marketing Association (AMA), Marketing Association of New Zealand (MA NZ), Marketing Society, Association of National Advertisers (ANA), Data & Marketing Association (DMA), Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) and Marketing Association of Australia (MAA). Regional players are South African Advertising Research Foundation (SAARF) and Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA). Institute of Marketing Management (IMM) South Africa is listed as an emerging player.
Does The Marketing Association of South Africa have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Marketing Association of South Africa.
What industry is The Marketing Association of South Africa in?
The Marketing Association of South Africa's product category is Professional Association Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAANAD, Finance, Accounting & Risk (CFA/CPA/FRM) Certifications. Its NAICS code is 813920 and its SIC code is 8600.