Award-winning marketing strategist and Business & Finance Top 100 CMO, Maricka Burke-Keogh, has officially launched The Marketing Department, a fractional marketing consultancy designed to give small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs ) access to senior-level marketing leadership without the cost of employing a full-time Marketing Director.
With more than 18 years’ experience leading marketing strategy across SaaS, technology, manufacturing, construction and professional services, Maricka works with ambitious businesses to accelerate growth through commercially focused marketing strategies, stronger positioning, digital transformation, and practical, measurable execution.
Recognising that Artificial Intelligence is rapidly reshaping how businesses operate, Maricka has also made AI a key pillar of her offering. Over the past two years she has invested heavily in upskilling in AI for marketing, business, and operational efficiency, including completing the Executive Master’s Programme in AI for Business at Trinity College Dublin. Combined with extensive hands-on implementation, this enables her to help businesses adopt AI in ways that improve productivity, streamline workflows, and create genuine commercial value, without unnecessary complexity or hype.
To support Irish businesses on their AI journey, and mark the launch, The Marketing Department is hosting a free online webinar on Wednesday 26th August 2026 at 3:00 pm. Designed for business owners and marketers who are curious about AI but not sure where to start, the session cuts through the noise and delivers 10 practical, ready-to-use prompts you can apply to your marketing straight away - no technical background required.
The webinar will demonstrate how organisations can use AI responsibly to automate repetitive tasks, enhance marketing performance, improve decision-making and free up valuable time to focus on business growth. She believes that, when implemented correctly, AI can significantly improve the efficiency and competitiveness of businesses of every size.
In addition, businesses are encouraged to follow The Marketing Department (TMD ) blog, where Maricka and TMD partners will publish monthly insights, practical guides and real-world examples to help business owners and marketing teams get the very best from AI. Having already completed more than sixty hours of specialist AI training for business, she is currently undertaking an additional Executive Master’s Programme in AI for Business at Trinity College Dublin.
With AI evolving at an unprecedented pace, Maricka believes that staying up to date with the latest tools, technologies and best practices is essential for businesses looking to remain competitive. Her monthly series will focus on practical implementation, helping SMEs understand not only what’s possible with AI, but also how to apply it effectively within their own organisations to improve efficiency, productivity and growth.
The Marketing Department offers flexible support tailored to each client’s stage of growth, enabling businesses to access experienced strategic marketing leadership, AI guidance and hands-on execution exactly when they need it.
For more information about The Marketing Department, to register for the upcoming FREE AI webinar, or to subscribe to the monthly AI insights blog, visit www.themarketingdept.ie to sign up to the webinar or connect with Maricka Burke-Keogh on LinkedIn.
