Is there a future for department stores? Fenwick obviously thinks so: it's just bought ads for the first time in its 140 year history.

From today, the iconic family-owned brand will run an ad campaign on billboards across major locations including Birmingham, London and Edinburgh.

The ads feature images shot by trendy photographers Estevez + Belloso and Ana Paganini, alongside copy such as 'Give them something to talk about' and 'Quiet no more'. Fenwick will also sell T-shirts based around the photography at pop-up shops.

The campaign, conceived by brand strategy consultancy At Large, is clearly part of a plan to re-invigorate one of the UK's best-known retail brands. Like many others, it has been squeezed by the structural changes to retail this decade and is trying to manage the shift to online shopping.

Last year it announced the sale of its 130-year-old store on New Bond Street, Central London. It now has eight stores in the UK, including its flagship in Newcastle, York, Brent Cross, Colchester and Kingston.

Mia Fenwick, Chief Marketing Officer at Fenwick, said: "The launch of our first ever Fenwick brand campaign is a monumental moment for us. As a traditionally discreet brand, this is our time to be 'Quiet no more'. Our campaign reaches out to a new generation who want to engage with authentic brands, feel seen and welcomed."