Ares Holdings Trade Marketing Internship 2026 is open now and could be the first step toward a retail marketing career. It’s a short‑term contract in Cape Town that lets you see how brands move from the office to the shop floor.
What the internship involves
The role is called Trade Marketing Internship (2 positions) and is listed internally as Trade Marketing Graduate: Retail Trade. You will work under the Trade Marketing Manager and cooperate with brand, merchandising, retail operations, wholesale, and marketing teams. The focus is on creating, launching and tracking retail and wholesale campaigns, point‑of‑sale (POS) material, visual merchandising, promotions and in‑store activations.
Who can apply
This opportunity is aimed at students or recent graduates who are interested in retail, brands and marketing execution. You should be able to:
- Show interest in trade marketing and brand activation
- Enjoy working in retail or brand environments
- Communicate clearly with different teams
- Stay organised and meet deadlines
- Track tasks, data and campaign feedback
- Work with visual merchandising and product displays
- Learn how promotions and activations are run
Practical curiosity and a willingness to support several tasks at once will help you succeed.
What you will learn
During the 6‑month placement you will gain exposure to:
- Trade‑marketing strategy and seasonal planning
- Retail and wholesale campaign roll‑outs
- POS material production, ordering and distribution
- Visual‑merchandising support and store‑layout basics
- Product‑training coordination for store staff
- Consumer promotions, incentives and in‑store events
- Campaign reporting and performance tracking
- Budget assistance and administrative tasks
- Cross‑functional teamwork across marketing, sales and operations
This broad experience shows how a brand’s idea becomes a visible experience for shoppers.
How to apply – step by step
- Update your CV so the first section highlights any retail, marketing, event or customer‑service experience.
- Gather supporting documents:
- Copy of your South African ID (if requested)
- Certificates or proof of studies in marketing, business, retail or related fields
- Academic transcript (optional but helpful)
- Portfolio of projects, campaigns, events or visual work (if you have one)
- Visit the official application portal: Apply for the Ares Holdings Trade Marketing Internship.
- Complete the online form, upload your CV and any additional documents, and double‑check that all contact details are correct.
- Submit before the closing date of 13 July 2026.
Tips to improve your chances
- Tailor your CV to the internship. Use keywords from the description such as “campaign roll‑out”, “POS”, “visual merchandising” and “team collaboration”.
- Include any part‑time retail job, volunteer event work or university project that involved planning, communication or deadlines.
- Keep your cover letter short (3‑4 sentences) and explain why you want to see marketing live in stores.
- Proofread all documents – spelling errors can lower your score.
- Apply early. Many candidates wait until the last day, and the selection team often reviews applications as they come in.
- If you do not hear back within two weeks after the deadline, consider the application unsuccessful and move on to the next opportunity.
Why this matters for your career
Trade marketing connects brand strategy with the real‑world buying experience. By working on live campaigns, you will understand how promotions, shelf‑placement and staff training drive sales. This experience is highly valued by agencies, FMCG companies and retail chains, and it gives you a solid foundation for future roles in brand management, merchandising or marketing operations.
Next steps
Prepare your CV, collect the required documents, and submit your application through the link above before 13 July 2026. Even if you are not selected this time, the process will help you sharpen your résumé and give you a clearer idea of what South African retailers look for in trade‑marketing talent.