Great question! I started with CAPM because it has fewer prerequisites. Once I had 3 years of PM experience, I went for PMP. Start where you are — CAPM is perfect for someone with no formal PM experience. It validates your foundational knowledge and makes your resume stand out.
I went PMI-ACP first since my company is Agile-heavy. Really depends on your industry! What sector are you targeting for your PM role? Tech tends to value Agile certs, while construction/government often prefers PRINCE2 or PMP.
For someone transitioning from marketing, I'd actually recommend starting with PMI-ACP or even just working through the PMBOK basics before committing to a cert. Understanding what PMs actually do day-to-day will help you choose the right certification path.