Purple Panda joins Gumption Group
Meet the new marketing powerhouse of Gumption Group: growth agency Purple Panda, founded by Nick Haverals and Rik Van Kerckhoven.
Meet the new marketing powerhouse of Gumption Group: growth agency Purple Panda, founded by Nick Haverals and Rik Van Kerckhoven. It is the latest addition to the group. Branding specialist Oddball's team merges into Purple Panda.
The complementary duo Nick Haverals and Rik Van Kerckhoven set up Purple Panda in 2018. Rik is the technical genius, while Nick looks after the business side. Initially, they focussed on building websites, but the duo soon added performance marketing and digital strategy to their portfolio of services.
The integration of Oddball marks a new milestone in the short existence of the growth agency. ‘The know-how of the Oddball team in visual storytelling, creativity and employer branding perfectly complements our strategic and technical marketing expertise,’ says Nick Haverals. ‘This integration enables us to achieve our ambition of being a 360° agency that clients can turn to for a marketing story from A to Z.’
The complementary duo Nick Haverals and Rik Van Kerckhoven set up Purple Panda in 2018. Rik is the technical genius, while Nick looks after the business side. Initially, they focussed on building websites, but the duo soon added performance marketing and digital strategy to their portfolio of services.
The integration of Oddball marks a new milestone in the short existence of the growth agency. ‘The know-how of the Oddball team in visual storytelling, creativity and employer branding perfectly complements our strategic and technical marketing expertise,’ says Nick Haverals. ‘This integration enables us to achieve our ambition of being a 360° agency that clients can turn to for a marketing story from A to Z.’
Purple Panda, now a 20-strong team, will be the marketing powerhouse of Gumption Group. It brings together designers, videographers, developers, strategists, and account and project managers. Nick Haverals will manage the team. Gumption is investing in Purple Panda, taking a stake of 80 percent.
‘Brand and customer experience is a key part of every digital transformation project,’ says Bart Embrechts, managing partner of Gumption Group. ‘It’s one of our four pillars at Gumption. The vast marketing talent of our group is now united in Purple Panda, which as a driving force will be an important pawn in our ecosystem. We have great confidence in Nick’s leadership.’
‘Brand and customer experience is a key part of every digital transformation project,’ says Bart Embrechts, managing partner of Gumption Group. ‘It’s one of our four pillars at Gumption. The vast marketing talent of our group is now united in Purple Panda, which as a driving force will be an important pawn in our ecosystem. We have great confidence in Nick’s leadership.’
‘Expanding the Belgian client base is Purple Panda’s primary focus,’ says Nick Haverals. ‘Through the integration of Oddball, we strengthen our position in the west of the country with a West-Flemish office. Thanks to its regional offices, Gumption automatically gives us a foothold in Limburg and Wavre, among other places.’
Haverals also expresses international ambitions: ‘Nothing stops us from expanding across the border in the coming years. Joining Gumption and the integration of Oddball has strengthened our market position. That benefits our clients. It accelerates our growth position and takes us to the next level. We are targeting double-digit growth.’
To help achieve these ambitions, Peter De Pauw has been appointed as business director. The Gumption sales team, too, will actively seek new clients for Purple Panda as part of the Group’s co-creation strategy. Bart Embrechts: ‘In line with the cocreation principles, the Gumption companies regularly tackle digital transformation projects of clients together. For Purple Panda, there are obvious collaborative opportunities with e-commerce and data management expert Studio Emma, software testing specialist Brightest or BI expert Bmatix, for instance.’
To help achieve these ambitions, Peter De Pauw has been appointed as business director. The Gumption sales team, too, will actively seek new clients for Purple Panda as part of the Group’s co-creation strategy. Bart Embrechts: ‘In line with the cocreation principles, the Gumption companies regularly tackle digital transformation projects of clients together. For Purple Panda, there are obvious collaborative opportunities with e-commerce and data management expert Studio Emma, software testing specialist Brightest or BI expert Bmatix, for instance.’
Purple Panda’s head office is in Antwerp. For the first six months, the company will be operating from Hangar, with plans to move to a new Antwerp office at an as-yet-unknown location in early 2024. Nick Haverals: ‘It’s wonderful to see how all colleagues have embraced this new synergy. We had already worked together successfully in the past, both with Oddball and Gumption. There’s a good vibe. Our cultures match. We can’t wait to roll up our sleeves and get to work with our new team.’
Want to find out more? Contact
Nick Haverals - nick@purplepanda.be - +32 474 53 76 57
Bart Embrechts - bart.embrechts@gumption.be - +32 472 85 50 61