One of the UK’s biggest shopping chains has announced the launch of a £3 million marketing campaign it hopes will help boost long-term love for the brand. 

Debenhams says it wants to show customers it is “coming out fighting” this autumn, with a refreshed creative, a campaign that includes a partnership with GQ magazine, a sharper and bigger focus on influencers and a new TV advert. 

It adds that its marketing investment is much bigger than last year, as it looks to raise national awareness of the group. 

The move reflects the fact that the UK’s marketing community remains integral to business success, no matter the size of the company or the brand. 

According to statistics from business data company Statista, as of last month, there were 979,000 marketing and sales professionals in employment across the whole of the UK – the highest number that’s been recorded during a nine-year period. 

Marketing is certainly a thriving industry that attracts the best and the brightest . . . and the boldest. This is because confidence is a virtue that turbo-boosts careers in many jobs sectors but really comes into its own when you’re promoting an individual or an organisation. 

While the job titles for vacancies on x1jobs can vary from Marketing Executive or Officer to Brand or Account Executive, whether you’re selling products, services or brilliant ideas, you need to demonstrate self-belief and a positivity that persuades others of their value. 

Marketing is also an incredibly broad field that is active in sectors as varied as media, advertising, healthcare, manufacturing and many more. In some roles you could be writing a simple newsletter or social media posts for a small business but in others you might find yourself creating and promoting some of the world’s biggest media campaigns. 

No matter which particular medium you choose to work in – the traditional printed press, social media, television, radio or through face-to-face pitches – imagination and creativity are what sets apart the very best marketing professionals. 

This is also a sector where you can transfer your skills from other jobs. Many journalists, writers and bloggers, for example, have transformed themselves into successful marketing executives and PR professionals. 

This isn’t surprising: being able to create sharp, coherent and engaging writing is a talent that puts press releases into newspapers and ensures PR pitches go to the front of the queue.  

Teamwork is important, too, as often you’ll be working with market researchers, sales staff, advertising departments and customer service professionals. 

In terms of qualifications, there are no formal requirements, however, if you’re a newbie an HNC/HND or degree in marketing will add a gold star to your CV. 

The most important thing of all for a successful marketing career is never to be afraid to show your spark. It’s important to be enthusiastic and hard-working but it’s showing that little bit of extra energy for ideas, campaigns and projects that will make you and your work shine. 

Be sure to back up this energy with substance. A bang-up-to-date and broad-based knowledge of industry news and trends – as well as being versed in everyday events in the worlds of politics and popular culture – will allow you to create content and campaigns that will not only interest but engage clients, consumers, investors and the media.  

The biggest trending developments in digital marketing right now are, without doubt, augmented reality and virtual reality, with big name brands finally embracing their full potential for campaigns.  

This means the fast-growing digital sector has even more job opportunities, especially for the highly skilled new-tech generation.  

While roles such as content producer, digital marketing executive and account director all offer an attractive career path for those with a creative streak, be sure to seek out a sector that interests you personally. 

Life is a lot easier – and much more fun – when you’re passionate about what you’re being paid to promote.  

When it comes to landing that dream job, sell yourself. Talk about the talents and aspirations that you bring to the role in the first place and back this up with examples from different areas and chapters of your life that reflect your key skills in action. 

As well as being incredibly satisfying, the financial rewards of moving into marketing are significant. Did you know the average annual earnings for a marketing director in the UK can be as high as £90,000? 

If you’d like to find out more about a career in marketing, x1jobs is a great place to start. With roles on all steps of the career ladder, it’s the smart place to find your next great job.