Duke & Grace becomes part of Springbok
-
Ghent
Today the Ghent digital agency Duke & Grace became part of Springbok. Together with the recently acquired B Corp agency Make Sense, we are creating a strong hub in Ghent that seamlessly cooperates with our other agencies spread over Belgium and the Netherlands. There’s now a total of 400 people working where branding and tech meet, helping brands have a positive impact on people and society.
As one of the first internet pioneers in Belgium, Duke & Grace has always had a clear vision. Their work highlights their belief that combining digital technology, data, and creativity leads to the best brand experiences. The agency emerged from Netlash, later known as communication agency Wijs. They were joined by creative agency Gents, to enable more interactive communication that generates progress for people, brands, and society. Duke & Grace works for internationally-renowned brands, such as Barco and Netflix, as well as for domestic ones like Foodbag and Goed. In time, Springbok will become the name on Duke & Grace’s front door.
Ghent, Belgium, is establishing itself as a leading technology centre in Europe. It is gaining recognition for its advancements in the bio-technology and clean-technology industries, with a number of cutting-edge companies operating in these fields. This, coupled with a thriving startup ecosystem and a commitment to sustainability, positions Ghent as a significant player in the European technology industry. This makes it essential for us to establish a strong foothold in the city.
“Springbok is one of the strongest and fastest growing agencies in the Benelux,” according to Bart de Waele, founder of Duke & Grace. “I am especially happy for us to be joining them, as it will enable us to make an even bigger positive impact. Springbok’s vision seamlessly blends with our own; we both want sustainable growth for brands and society.”
Ilse Jansoone, co-founder adds: “We have built something particularly beautiful with Duke & Grace, and I am delighted that the story will continue with Springbok. Both for the team and our customers, this feels like the right move.” CEO Geert Desager adds: “Together with Springbok, we have an even broader expertise to make a difference for our clients. That’s what I’m really looking forward to. Our people are incredibly excited to become a part of the ambitious Springbok story.”
Sammy Colson, CEO of Springbok: “The talented team at Duke & Grace has a strong reputation and a beautiful portfolio of clients. For us, this is the perfect consolidation of our position in the Belgian market. Together with Make Sense, we now have a solid base in Ghent. From this strong, leading position in our domestic market, we’ll be continuing our work on internationalising Springbok.
To kick off the launch campaign, eye-catching image projections with the teasing message "A new era starts today" appeared in iconic places and historic buildings (such as the Gravensteen, the Boekentoren, Sint Pietersplein and the Schapenstal) on Sunday evening, so the news did not go unnoticed in Ghent (and on social media).