A new Irish marketing technology startup Deece, has launched an AI-powered platform designed to help marketers create stronger briefs.
According to Deece, poor briefing and misdirected work account for the loss of up to one-third of marketing budgets, while a significant gap exists between how marketers and agencies assess the quality of briefs. Citing global research that includes Ireland, the company says 78% of marketers believe their briefs provide clear strategic direction, compared with just 5% of agencies.
“Nothing wastes a marketing budget faster than a bad brief. And yet it remains one of the most underaddressed issues in our industry,” said Richie Taaffe, co-founder of Deece,
Before launching Deece, Taaffe held senior agency and client-side marketing roles in Ireland and Australia including stints with DDB Melbourne, TBWA Sydney, Clemenger BBDO Melbourne, Boys + Girls and BBDO Dublin. Most recently, he served as business marketing lead and head of marketing communications at Three Ireland.
According to Taafe, the platform’s flagship feature is a “Brief Builder” tool that uses artificial intelligence to help marketing teams develop more effective briefs. The system has been trained using strategic learnings drawn from award-winning campaigns over the last 25 years, together with curated marketing insights and industry trends.
The platform also enables marketers to incorporate relevant effectiveness case studies directly into briefs, providing agencies with examples and inspiration based on proven campaign outcomes.
Taaffe said the company’s original ambition was not to build an AI product but to solve recurring challenges experienced by marketers and agencies.
“The truth is we didn’t set out to build an AI platform. We simply wanted to solve some of the real problems we’ve experienced time and time again over the years. AI just happened to be the best way to bring our solution to life,” he said.
Additional platform features are scheduled to be introduced over the coming weeks, he says.
Despite its reliance on AI technology, Deece said human expertise remains central to the platform’s development and operation. The company says the platform has been informed by decades of industry experience and is intended to support marketers rather than replace them.
According to Taafe, the business was developed with input from marketers and agencies in Ireland and overseas and has received support from Enterprise Ireland and members of the Irish startup ecosystem.
Taaffe also acknowledged the influence of his late sister, Jenny Taaffe, on the creation of the business.
“From a personal point of view, I’ve been inspired by my late sister Jenny’s entrepreneurial journey and her unique approach to helping brands succeed. It felt only right that our brand was designed by the agency she founded, which is a daily reminder of the impact she’s had on my career,” he said.
The launch comes as more and more marketers embrace AI tools to help improve efficiency, planning and effectiveness, while seeking ways to strengthen strategic foundations before campaign development begins.
