Havas Boondoggle helps brands re-imagine themselves

In a move that will create one of the first service design agencies in SA, Havas Village SA and European service design and digital agency Boondoggle have joined forces to launch Havas Boondoggle.

“As creative people, we are being given the opportunity by advertising to make new and surprising connections that help brands tell their stories,” says Havas Boondoggle CEO Pieter Goiris. However, he believes that for some time, the stories have been better than that which the brands themselves can deliver. “We wanted to play in a new space, and thanks to technology and the new connections between channels that it enables, we can help brands re-imagine themselves and enable them to create the type of experience consumers now expect from them. Havas Boondoggle uses service design and digital to help brands make stuff that people care about and that will be relevant in their lives on product, service and communication levels.”

The agency is founded on the philosophy that today’s digital marketing should go beyond social media and display. In SA, clients continue to allocate large amounts of budget to traditional advertising, which results in the sending of messages that consumers have not requested.  And this happens in digital too. Goiris says one of the biggest trends to look out for will be the increasing use of smartphones and the Internet of things, which will enable brands deliver a better quality of experience to consumers. More than ever, mobile will take centre stage in peoples’ lives to connect, transact and interact. At Havas Boondoggle, the belief is that great brand experiences create strong brand advocates among consumers. It will become the job of digital marketing to use technology to create added value in the space where the brand is playing.

Goiris explains the agency’s process. “The design thinking process helps a brand to become consumer-centric in its thoughts and actions. It’s a collaborative methodology which helps brands to re-imagine challenges in the customer journey, develop a real understanding  of consumers’ needs and ultimately build their products and services around them.”

The Havas Boondoggle methodology is one that works to improve brand communication with greater meaning and relevance for consumers and in so doing, build stronger brands.

Both Goiris and partner Werner Camps were part of the Havas Group in Europe, and when Havas Southern Africa wanted to expand its digital capability, the launch of Havas Boondoggle made   sense. “I believe there is wealth of talent and potential in SA,” Goiris says.

The big take-out: The launch of Havas Boondoggle will see the establishment of one of SA’s first service design agencies and will introduce a methodology based on understanding the consumer journey in order to create brand ambassadors and stronger brands.