Curious about AI, but not sure where to begin? You're not alone.

This summer, Thrive Marketing delivered AI in Action for Charities: From Uncertainty to Confident Use, a six-week programme with Charities Institute Ireland. It sold out, with more than 50 professionals from charities and not-for-profits across the island of Ireland taking part. 

In our very first session, we asked everyone to describe how they felt about AI at work in one word. As expected, the answers covered the full range from hopeful to uncertainty, overwhelmed to excitement and without a doubt fearful. That mix is exactly where most charities are right now.   

Your next client, donor or member may never visit Google. They'll ask AI instead.

That was the message I took away from Accountancy Ireland's lunchtime briefing on AI, brand reach and reputation at Chartered Accountants House last week. The event also marked the relaunch of Accountancy Ireland as a fully digital publication, 57 years after its first edition. A massive well done to Elaine, Anastasia, Liz, Adam and all the team at Chartered Accountants Ireland on the success of the publication and the event.

Lisa Byrne, founder of CMO.ie and creator of Ireland's AI Visibility Index, and Garrett Harte, founder of Harte Media and former editor-in-chief at Newstalk, shared what they're seeing and what the new rules are to being found.

Here's what stood out, and what it means for the charities, professional services firms and businesses we work with.

We’re Hiring: Social Media & Digital Marketing Executive

Right now, we’re growing. Fast. And we’re looking for a Social Media & Digital Marketing Executive who wants to grow with us.

This is a hands-on role with genuine responsibility from day one, and real room to learn, contribute and grow with Thrive.

On 27^th September I take on the Camino Trek in aid of Anam Cara. Here I share a few short words on my why behind it.

We first began working with Anam Cara in 2024. Up to that point I’ll be honest in that I had not heard of Anam Cara before and wasn’t aware of their work.

However, within a few minutes of learning about this small but mighty team, the amazing facilitators and parent volunteers, and the supports and services they offer bereaved families across Ireland, we were absolutely blown away.

New Partnership to Deliver End-to-End Supporter Experience for Ireland’s Nonprofit Sector

New Alliance Bridges Strategy and Delivery Gap for Nonprofit Supporter Communications

Dublin, 11th June 2026: Two specialist consultancies serving Ireland’s nonprofit sector have joined forces to help organisations move from supporter experience strategy to consistent, high-quality communications delivery. Thrive Marketing and The Human Experience Consultancy (HX) have announced a formal associate partnership, combining HX’s expertise in supporter experience design with Thrive’s marketing execution capabilities.

In many organisations, the instinct when marketing isn’t delivering is to do more…more campaigns, more content, more activity. But often, the real gap isn’t effort. It’s direction.

Thrive Marketing is pleased to announce a new strategic partnership with The Human Experience Consultancy (HX), a boutique consultancy dedicated to helping organisations maximise social impact through supporter‑centred strategies and human‑centred design.

We’re delighted to welcome Molly Kavanagh to the Thrive Marketing team as our new Social Media & Content Associate.

Molly joins us with a strong background in social media management and content creation, working closely with brands to develop clear, engaging and consistent content across their digital platforms. As a freelancer, she has partnered with a range of fitness, food and lifestyle businesses, helping them build an authentic and meaningful online presence grounded in a deep understanding of their audience.

For years, marketers were told that shorter was always better. Attention spans were shrinking, platforms were speeding up, and the race to produce quick, snackable content felt endless. Yet the tide has turned. Long‑form content, including articles, newsletters, podcasts, and extended‑length videos, is enjoying a powerful resurgence.

If your organisation feels stuck, with inconsistent messaging, lukewarm engagement, or a brand that doesn’t quite land, the instinct is often to “fix the branding” by refreshing your logo, updating your strap-line, or redesigning your website.

Thanks to DCU Business School for featuring this article in their recent Alumni newsletter…

We recently caught up with Jennifer Brennan, CEO and Founder of Thrive Marketing, to learn more about her entrepreneurial journey so far, and how she went about building Thrive Marketing.

“My entrepreneurial journey didn’t begin with a single defining moment. It grew from a lifelong belief (since I was a little girl) that I would one day work for myself, a belief shaped by family influences, lived experience and an early understanding of what hard work can make possible.”

Early Roots: Family, Values and DCU

A few weeks back we shared the first part of our “The Top Content Marketing Trends to Follow in 2026 & The Predictions Shaping the Year Ahead” article, sharing the first 5 trends.

Here, as promised, is Part 2, where we share the leading research, expert insights, and industry predictions into a clear, actionable guide for the year ahead. Read on for more on trends 6-10.

𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻’𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

At Thrive Marketing Ireland, to echo IWD’s words…“𝘸𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘪𝘢𝘴, 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘵𝘺𝘱𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦, 𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦. 𝘈 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥.”

It’s a big ambition. But if you know us, you know we like to aim big.

With this year’s theme of 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗮𝗶𝗻, we recognise that progress isn’t accidental, it’s created.

We’re delighted to welcome Mairéad Callanan to the Thrive Marketing team as our new Graphic Designer and Creative Associate.

Mairéad brings extensive experience from both agency and in‑house environments, developing thoughtful, cohesive design work across print, digital, and marketing communications. Her approach blends strategic thinking with meticulous craft, ensuring every piece of work is not only visually engaging, but purposeful, consistent, and aligned to brand goals.

We’re Hiring: Part‑Time Graphic Designer / Creative Associate

We are looking for an exceptional Graphic Designer / Creative Associate, someone with a sharp eye, a bold imagination, and a hunger to create meaningful, standout work. 

This is a part‑time role (mornings Monday–Friday) to begin with. We want someone who will shape their place here, expand their remit, and grow into a full‑time role and future creative leadership position as the business continues to scale. 

You will collaborate with senior strategists, writers, marketers and clients across a diverse range of sectors, from charities and purpose‑driven organisations, to corporate clients, membership bodies and creative enterprises. 

If you’re someone who sees opportunity everywhere, who believes in beautiful and intentional design, and who wants space to stretch beyond traditional agency boundaries… Thrive Marketing is the place for you.

Content marketing in 2026 is entering a new era, one where AI is built into every layer of, audiences demand higher levels of authenticity, and trust becomes the defining differentiator for brands. The rules are shifting, discovery is fragmenting, and teams must evolve to stay relevant. 

Here in part one of our latest article, we distil the leading research, expert insights, and industry predictions into a clear, actionable guide for the year ahead. 

SMEs are entering 2026 with a unique challenge: the market is faster, noisier and more competitive, yet the potential for meaningful, sustainable brand growth has never been stronger. The organisations that will stand out aren’t the ones doing the most, but the ones
doing the right things with clarity and consistency.

At Thrive, we see the same pattern across every sector we work with, growth doesn’t start with scale, it starts with focus. Here are some ideas on how SMEs can build a brand that cuts through and keeps growing.

Welcome to our AI Hack, where we examine a key question or challenge faced by the charity sector and offer some expert advice. For this issue, we ask Jennifer Brennan, CEO of Thrive Marketing, “What are the key issues charities face when it comes to AI, and how can they tackle these?”

Marketing, communication and fundraising have never been more complex, or more critical. As we move into the final stretch of 2025 and begin to plan for 2026, organisations, and particularly those in the charity and not-for-profit space, are facing a wave of challenges that are reshaping how they connect, convert and grow both audiences, including donors, supporters and funders. The landscape is evolving fast and on top of that many are grappling to get their heads, hands and hearts around AI!