Havas launches new service design agency in SA

Havas Village South Africa and Boondoggle, a European service design and creative digital agency on Wednesday announced that they had teamed up to launch a new, Cape Town-based, service design and digital communications agency.

Called Havas Boondoggle, the new property aims to bring the ingredients that made Boondoggle successful to Cape Town.

Boondoggle has been a Havas Worldwide property since 2012, when the US-headquartered agency bought it out. Currently employing more than 150 people in Belgium and the Netherlands, this is Boondoggle’s first foray into the African continent.

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Interestingly, Boondoggle founders Pieter Goiris and Werner Camps have taken a pretty hands-on approach in setting up the new property, having relocated with their families to Cape Town in late 2015.

“To be honest, we moved because of the weather and the cheaper wine,” jokes Goiris before adding that “in all seriousness we believe in the potential of South Africa and its talent.”

According to release sent to Memeburn, the Havas Boondoggle came about because the founders wanted to start something new venture, while at the same time Havas Southern Africa wanted to expand their digital offering and so Havas Boondoggle was created.

“We create digital services, products and campaigns that make the most of today’s technology through the Design Thinking Process and methodology,” says Goiris.

“Our job is then to take this consumer-centric methodology and realise it in the digital space to improve the quality of experiences and interaction between brands and their customers.”

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Fellow Boondoggle founder, Werner Camps, says the partnership with Havas “made a lot of sense” as they were looking for an agency-partner with international clientele as well as an inherent entrepreneurial DNA built into its businesses.

When asked about the new agency offering, Havas Southern Africa CEO, Lynn Madeley says establishing Havas Boondoggle in South Africa was really an easy decision as the Belgium-and Dutch-based offices were already part of the Havas network and thus there was an immediate culture fit.

“The team on both sides of the equator are really very good at what they do and are at the cold face of new developments in digital,’ says Madeley. “Their award-winning work to-date proves they will never be average and we look forward to being at the head of the curve in South Africa.”