Career Cluster

Marketing

From the clothes you wear to the food you consume to your daily transportation, marketing is everywhere. Marketing professionals put products in the hands of consumers who need and want them. They keep a pulse on the latest trends and upcoming developments. Masterful in pricing, marketing-information management, promotion and selling, these savvy trendsetters have the most innovative ideas in advertising, digital marketing communications, merchandising and selling.

DECA CONNECTS

Connect to Courses, Curriculum + Careers

DECA’s Comprehensive Learning Program integrates into classroom instruction, applies learning, connects to business and promotes competition. Examine your course of study and integrate activities from DECA’s comprehensive learning program to show that DECA is connected and relevant.

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Related Courses

DECA's Comprehensive Learning Program provides a variety of instructional resources that would be suitable for these courses and more.

  • Principles of Business Administration
  • Fundamentals of Marketing
  • Advanced Marketing
  • Advertising
  • Fashion Merchandising
  • Marketing Research
  • Digital Marketing
  • Sports and Entertainment Marketing

Career Pathways

Each career cluster contains several career pathways, or specialized career areas that are comprised of careers that require similar knowledge and skills.

  • Marketing Communications
  • Marketing Management
  • Marketing Research
  • Merchandising
  • Professional Selling

Instructional Areas

Instructional areas are broad areas of content knowledge that are comprised of many performance indicators. Performance indicators are specific knowledge and skills employees are expected to demonstrate or achieve.

Business Law
Channel Management
Communications
Customer Relations
Economics
Emotional Intelligence
Entrepreneurship
Financial Analysis
Human Resources Management
Information Management
Market Planning
Marketing
Marketing-Information Management
Operations
Pricing
Product/Service Management
Professional Development
Promotion
Selling
Strategic Management

Career Opportunities

The following are examples of career opportunities and occupations that are available within this career cluster.

Account Executive
Account Supervisor
Advertising Manager
Art Director
Brand Ambassador
Brand Manager
Buying Manager
CRM Manager
Campaign Manager
Chief Innovation Officer
Chief Marketing Officer
Chief Sales Officer
Circulation Manager
Client Relationship Manager
Content Marketing Manager
Copywriter
Creative Director
Customer Satisfaction Manager
Customer Service Representative
Customer Success Manager
Digital Marketing Director
Digital Marketing Manager
Digital Marketing Specialist
Director of Communications
Director of Market Development
Director of Sales
Director of Sales and Marketing
Fundraiser
Integrated Marketing Communications Specialist
Interactive Media Specialist
Key Account Manager
Market Development Manager
Marketing Associate
Marketing Services Manager
Marketing Specialist
Media Buyer/Planner
Merchandise Buyer
Merchandising Manager
National Account Manager
Product Manager
Product Planner
Promotions Manager
Public Information Director
Public Relations Manager
Purchasing Manager
Regional Sales Manager
Retail Marketing Coordinator
Sales Associate
Sales Manager
Sales Promotion Manager
Sales Representative
Search Engine Optimization Specialist
Social Media Manager
Territory Representatives
Visual Merchandise Manager
Web Content Writer
Web Producer
eCommerce Manager

COMPETITIVE EVENTS

Enrich the Classroom

DECA’s Competitive Events Program is an incredible tool for curriculum. As an integral part of the classroom curriculum, DECA’s industry-validated competitive events are aligned with National Curriculum Standards.

DECA’s flagship evaluation process involves students in both a written component such as an exam or report and an interactive component with an industry professional serving as a judge. DECA’s competitive events reinforce creativity, problem solving and presentation skills.

The potential for recognition, awards and travel for learning classroom content is a tremendous motivator – not to mention the scholarships and cash awards recognizing DECA members for outstanding achievement.

With more than 60 events, DECA offers a competitive event for every course and every student.

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High School
College

Apparel and Accessories Marketing Series

AAM

Automotive Services Marketing Series

ASM

Business Services Marketing Series

BSM

Buying and Merchandising Operations Research

BMOR

Buying and Merchandising Team Decision Making

BTDM

Food Marketing Series

FMS

Integrated Marketing Campaign-Event

IMCE

Integrated Marketing Campaign-Product

IMCP

Integrated Marketing Campaign-Service

IMCS

Marketing Communications Series

MCS

Marketing Management Team Decision Making

MTDM

Principles of Marketing

PMK

Professional Selling

PSE

Retail Merchandising Series

RMS

Sports and Entertainment Marketing Operations Research

SEOR

Sports and Entertainment Marketing Series

SEM

Sports and Entertainment Marketing Team Decision Making

STDM

Virtual Business Challenge-Fashion

VBCFA

Virtual Business Challenge-Retail

VBCRT

Virtual Business Challenge-Sports

VBCSP

Advertising Campaign

Business-to-Business Marketing

Digital Marketing Strategies

Entertainment Marketing

Fashion Merchandising and Marketing

International Marketing

Marketing Communications

Marketing Management

Professional Sales

Sales Management and Leadership

Sports Marketing

Case Studies + EXAMS

Integrate into Classroom Instruction

Case studies provide a student-centered engagement activity to help DECA members apply learning through problem-based scenarios that require creative solutions and practical outcomes. DECA’s case studies challenge DECA members to demonstrate industry-relevant knowledge and skills through performance indicators. DECA’s case studies are developed through industry research to reflect current issues and trends in business and industry.

DECA’s exams are rigorous, industry-validated, multiple-choice, 100-item exams based on National Curriculum Standards. Each exam item is also linked to an instructional area and specific performance indicator.

Learn more
2023
Business Services Marketing
Selling
Role-Play

You are to assume the role of the membership specialist for GROVE CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. The president (judge) wants you to determine how to sell memberships to new businesses in the city.

Hidden Content:
Classroom Resources
Marketing
Role-Play
Selling
Business Services Marketing Series
2023
Business Services Marketing
Selling
Role-Play

You are to assume the role of the membership specialist for GROVE CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. The president (judge) wants you to determine how to sell memberships to new businesses in the city.

Hidden Content:
Classroom Resources
Marketing
Role-Play
Selling
Business Services Marketing Series
2023
Business Services Marketing
Selling
Role-Play

You are to assume the role of the membership specialist for GROVE CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. The president (judge) wants you to determine how to sell memberships to new businesses in the city.

Hidden Content:
Classroom Resources
Marketing
Role-Play
Selling
Business Services Marketing Series
2023
Business-to-Business Marketing
Selling
Role-Play

You are the director of corporate sales and the sales team manager at ORTEGA PRODUCTS, a company that produces dozens of brands of consumer goods. ORTEGA PRODUCTS has dozens of brands of consumer goods products.

Hidden Content:
Classroom Resources
Marketing
Role-Play
Selling
Business-to-Business Marketing
2023
Business-to-Business Marketing
Selling
Role-Play

You are the director of corporate sales and the sales team manager at ORTEGA PRODUCTS, a company that produces dozens of brands of consumer goods. ORTEGA PRODUCTS has dozens of brands of consumer goods products.

Hidden Content:
Classroom Resources
Marketing
Role-Play
Selling
Business-to-Business Marketing
2023
Business-to-Business Marketing
Selling
Role-Play

You are the director of corporate sales and the sales team manager at ORTEGA PRODUCTS, a company that produces dozens of brands of consumer goods. ORTEGA PRODUCTS has dozens of brands of consumer goods products.

Hidden Content:
Classroom Resources
Marketing
Role-Play
Selling
Business-to-Business Marketing
2023
Buying and Merchandising Team Decision Making
Market Planning
Role-Play

You are to assume the roles of the director of merchandising and the director of marketing for GO GAMES. The vice president (judge) wants you to generate product ideas that will result in an increase in sales.

Hidden Content:
Classroom Resources
Marketing
Role-Play
Market Planning
Buying and Merchandising Team Decision Making
2023
Buying and Merchandising Team Decision Making
Market Planning
Role-Play

You are to assume the roles of the director of merchandising and the director of marketing for GO GAMES. The vice president (judge) wants you to generate product ideas that will result in an increase in sales.

Hidden Content:
Classroom Resources
Marketing
Role-Play
Market Planning
Buying and Merchandising Team Decision Making
2023
Buying and Merchandising Team Decision Making
Market Planning
Role-Play

You are to assume the roles of the director of merchandising and the director of marketing for GO GAMES. The vice president (judge) wants you to generate product ideas that will result in an increase in sales.

Hidden Content:
Classroom Resources
Marketing
Role-Play
Market Planning
Buying and Merchandising Team Decision Making
2023
Entertainment Marketing
Economics
Role-Play

You are the brand manager and the operations manager for FREE TIME ENTERTAINMENT, a company that owns and manages “eatertainment” branded chains.

Hidden Content:
Classroom Resources
Marketing
Role-Play
Economics
Entertainment Marketing
2023
Entertainment Marketing
Economics
Role-Play

You are the brand manager and the operations manager for FREE TIME ENTERTAINMENT, a company that owns and manages “eatertainment” branded chains.

Hidden Content:
Classroom Resources
Marketing
Role-Play
Economics
Entertainment Marketing
2023
Entertainment Marketing
Economics
Role-Play

You are the brand manager and the operations manager for FREE TIME ENTERTAINMENT, a company that owns and manages “eatertainment” branded chains.

Hidden Content:
Classroom Resources
Marketing
Role-Play
Economics
Entertainment Marketing

CORPORATE CHALLENGES

Apply Learning

DECA and its corporate partners have teamed up to provide classroom activities that challenge members to apply learning in relevant ways.

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DECA at the Bell Challenge

Write and produce your very own episode of DECA at the Bell. Creativity is encouraged; what matters most is the ability to engage the audience while connecting something in the world of business to the world of DECA. The topic/theme of the 2024 challenge is Customer Service.

Submissions due by:
November 1, 2024
SubmitRegister
Guidelines

Social Media Marketing Challenge

Take charge of a dynamic simulated company, strategically allocating your ad budget to maximize revenue. Craft captivating content, engage target audiences and analyze your metrics across simulation rounds. Showcase your social media marketing skills in this exciting challenge.

Submissions due by:
December 1, 2024
SubmitRegister
Guidelines

Ethical Leadership Challenge

Develop a public service announcement (PSA) video describing one of the following ethical principles: fairness, rule of law or transparency. The PSA should be designed to educate your local community and those afar through social media.

Submissions due by:
December 2, 2024
SubmitRegister
Guidelines

Digital Presentation Skills Challenge

Demonstrate your digital presentation skills utilizing a Virtual Business simulation in a one- to two-minute digital presentation. The top finalists will deliver a live, digital presentation.

Submissions due by:
January 31, 2025
SubmitRegister
Guidelines

Auction Marketing Campaign Challenge

Develop a marketing campaign for a full estate sale that will utilize the live auction method and include both real estate and personal property. Present your marketing campaign that will use social, print, and email direct marketing strategies in a video presentation.

Submissions due by:
February 1, 2025
SubmitRegister
Guidelines

Disability Is Diversity Challenge

Create a focused Disability Is Diversity presentation that highlights the obstacles and experience of navigating an educational environment with differing abilities. Learn first-hand about the barriers encountered by a student with a disability and determine how you can advocate for needed change.

Submissions due by:
February 14, 2025
SubmitRegister
Guidelines

Social Impact Leader of Tomorrow Challenge

Demonstrate your creativity by producing the next big cause marketing idea for the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation. DECA chapters can participate by developing and executing a unique fundraising campaign with a social media component and video.

Submissions due by:
February 19, 2025
SubmitRegister
Guidelines

EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCES

Extend Learning Beyond The Classroom

DECA conferences provide unique opportunities to connect students with corporate professionals to engage them in learning industry-related trends and content.

Learn more

Sports and Entertainment Marketing Conference

January 29 - February 2, 2025
Orlando, FL

DECA International Career Development Conference

April 26-29, 2025
Orlando, FL

Ultimate DECA Power Trip

November 21-23, 2025
Arlington, VA

Partners

Connect To Business

DECA’s college and corporate partners engage DECA members and help them prepare for colleges and careers of their choice. They provide classroom presentations, scholarships, internships, work experience and much more. Visit our partners page to learn more about developing a win-win relationship with DECA’s partners.

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Hidden Content:
Chick-fil-A
Employment + Internship
Career
Hidden Content:
Herff Jones, Inc.
Fundraiser + Vendor
Vendor
Hidden Content:
IE University
College + University
College
Hidden Content:
Jostens, Inc.
Fundraiser + Vendor
Vendor
Hidden Content:
Knowledge Matters
Fundraiser + Vendor
Curriculum
Hidden Content:
Men's Wearhouse - Tailored Brands
Employment + Internship
Career
Hidden Content:
Muscular Dystrophy Association
Association + Foundation
Curriculum
Hidden Content:
NRF Foundation
Association + Foundation
Curriculum
Hidden Content:
National Apartment Association Education Institute
Association + Foundation
Career
Hidden Content:
Otis Spunkmeyer
Fundraiser + Vendor
Vendor
Hidden Content:
Piper Sandler
Employment + Internship
Career
Hidden Content:
Publix Super Markets, Inc.
Employment + Internship
Career
Hidden Content:
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)
College + University
College
Hidden Content:
Spirit Box
Fundraiser + Vendor
Vendor
Hidden Content:
Stukent
Fundraiser + Vendor
Hidden Content:
Universal Orlando Resort
Fundraiser + Vendor
Career
Hidden Content:
Vector Marketing Corporation
Employment + Internship
Career
Hidden Content:
eDynamic Learning
Fundraiser + Vendor
Curriculum

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Get Involved

Together, we can help prepare emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for college and career. Learn about the various opportunities to get involved with DECA.

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Start a DECA Chapter

Partner with DECA

Questions?

Contact DECA staff
for more information.

View All DECA Staff Contacts
Christopher Young, CAE
Chief Program Officer
Contact

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DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.

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