Brandtech launches data & AI unit across three firms

The Brandtech Group has launched Brandtech Data, a new unit that brings together data and AI work from fifty-five, DP6 and Jellyfish.

The practice will operate as an umbrella brand across the three businesses, which will retain their existing names. It includes more than 500 specialists across 22 countries and generates more than USD $100 million in revenue.

Will Heins will serve as Chief Executive Officer of Brandtech Data, while Pierre Harand, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of fifty-five, will become President. Both will retain their current roles alongside the new appointments.

The move consolidates the group's data, analytics and digital marketing operations as companies work to prepare their data for wider use in artificial intelligence systems. Many large brands hold significant amounts of data, but that information is often spread across platforms, markets and internal teams.

Brandtech Data will focus on four areas: AI Transformation, Personalization and Customer Experience; Measurement and Decisioning; and Data and Technology Foundations. The business will sit within Brandtech's broader marketing and technology structure, which also includes Pencil, OLIVER and Jellyfish.

The aim is to give clients a clearer route to data, creative, media and technology services through a single framework. It also links Brandtech's work in data preparation and measurement more directly with campaign execution and customer experience programmes.

David Jones, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Brandtech Group, outlined the rationale for the new structure.

"We always say to our clients that if they want to do AI well, they have to start with data. Global companies already have enormous amounts of data, but too often it's fragmented across different platforms, markets and teams and isn't ready to power AI. Brandtech Data brings together our experts around the world to solve that problem and, crucially, connect the data directly to execution. In the AI era, you don't need to own more data for the sake of it. You need to be much better at putting the data you already have to work," Jones said.

Client demand

The launch reflects a wider push among marketing services groups and consultancies to tie artificial intelligence projects more closely to first-party data, media performance and measurement. As companies increase spending on AI tools, many are also reassessing whether their existing data systems can support personalisation, forecasting and automated decision-making.

The combined practice will draw on Brandtech's work across the Google ecosystem, one of the group's larger technology relationships. That includes Google Marketing Platform services alongside measurement, technical and consulting work designed to help clients make better use of their marketing technology spending.

The group pointed to client work across its businesses as examples of the expertise now housed under Brandtech Data. Salomon increased eCommerce revenue by 83% through AI-led Google Shopping optimisation, while TotalEnergies delivered USD $4.5 million in savings through AI-based marketing mix modelling. John Lewis also increased average search profit by 20% through real-time data collection and optimisation.

Heins described the new unit as a way to bring existing teams together around a single client proposition.

"Most brands don't need more data. They need to get much more value from the data they already have. Brandtech Data brings together the people and expertise to help them build the right foundations for AI and then connect those foundations directly to marketing and growth," Heins said.

Group structure

Brandtech has expanded through a mix of acquisitions, partnerships and internally developed products, building a portfolio that spans creative production, media, martech and generative AI tools. Brandtech Data formalises one part of that structure by grouping together specialist data operations that had already been working across shared client accounts.

Harand said the integrated model had already shown results.

"Brands increasingly need to connect data, measurement and AI to real business outcomes, and they need partners who can do that at global scale. We've already seen the impact of our teams joining forces. Brandtech Data is about taking that to the next level," Harand said.