And then the dotcom bubble burst ... Numerous agencies went bankrupt, but thanks to its pragmatic approach and loyal customers The Reference survived. Moreover, it strengthened its resilience, laid the foundation for a consistent drive for optimization and the focus on measurable results was further deepened.
That did not go unnoticed and Emakina Group became the new shareholder in 2007. The Reference got a new management team with Anja Cappelle as Managing Director and moved to a spacious and attractive building at the Stapelplein in Ghent. It was undoubtedly the start of a new era for the agency.
The period that followed was characterized by entrepreneurship, innovation, the expansion of the service offering and the knowledge level. Thus, the full service agency launched a number of competence centers, such as ‘mobile and tablets’, ‘marketing automation’, ‘performance marketing’, ... with which it offered a real alternative for niche players in these areas.
These last years, The Reference has worked really hard on an integrated approach to its expertise on the various existing digital channels. This vision is clearly bearing fruit and is already being put into practice every day for the clients of The Reference, major national and international organizations in various sectors.
