The facts behind BBC

BBC is a B2B creative agency with offices in Mechelen and Ghent, Belgium. Founded in 1983 by Karlo Zobell and Marc Eulaers, the company currently employs more than 70 B2B professionals.

BBC provides a wide range of B2B services to improve business through better communication, and is a member of the international agency network E3.

History

BBC’s first ad is still printed firmly in many people’s minds. An image of two hands interlocked – one man, one robot – became the dominant campaign visual for Flanders Technology International in 1983.

At the time, BBC was known as ‘International Marketing Systems’ or IMS for short. In 1988, IMS registered the terms ‘business-to-business’ and ‘b-to-b’. Then brand new and unheard of, these concepts went on to define the agency up to today.

Both the business-to-business and b-to-b trademarks continue to be the property of the company.

During the next two decades, the company underwent a series of marked transformations. In 1992, IMS changed its name to BBC, short for Business-to-Business Communication. Anton Loos was appointed as managing director of the agency that – at the time – was still located in Antwerp.

Two years later the company moved to Kontich, where it grew from a staff of 4 to 22, establishing BBC’s name within the world of B2B. In 1999 BBC entered the international agency network E3, leading to a new international clientele and a broader project scope.

To help customers address the increasingly tense war for talent, BBC developed employer branding as its second field of expertise starting from 2003. Six years later, in 2009, Anton Loos and Jordan Audenaert became the new agency owners by MBO.

By 2016, BBC’s growth proved too much for the Kontich office. The team of 26 moved to Mechelen where they attracted both new talent and new projects.

In 2019, BBC started a strategic partnership with Ark BBN. The Rupelmonde-based agency, founded in 1999 by Ben Verleysen, shares BBC’s vision on strategic B2B communication and will now also operate under the name BBC. In 2020, the Rupelmonde office moved to Ghent, near the train station, to facilitate collaboration between the two hubs.

In addition to the two offices in Belgium, BBC also opened an office in Chicago (USA) and Bordeaux (F). In the United States, bylt Inc. is the subsidiary that focuses on Sales Enablement (via Showpad) and Account Based Marketing. In France, the focus of BBC Communication sas is on international B2B organizations that want to either profile themselves in France or strengthen themselves internationally from France.

Thanks to these new international offices and an intensification of the collaboration within the global E3 network, BBC becomes the ideal partner for organizations that want to operate internationally.

Key facts and figures

  • Founded as ‘nv’ (ltd.) in 1983
  • Revenue € 11.5 m (2022)
  • Offices in Mechelen, Ghent, Bordeaux and Chicago
  • Financial health score 98/100 (D&B)
  • more than 70 employees
  • Specialized in B2B communication and employer branding
  • Member of the E3 Agency Network, with 28 members worldwide
  • E3 Best of International '22 & '23

Company culture

‘A pleasure to work with’ underpins BBC’s philosophy and actions. BBC people consider B2B communication as a daily thrill – one they wish to share with customers and stakeholders alike. Mostly, the marketing agency aims to inspire a sense of pride in customers and customer teams: pride about one’s company, the unique products and the talent it represents.

Yihaa! is the agency’s signature motto. It represents the feeling of delight in B2B, and is supported by 3 core values:

Curiosity

We explore the line between insight and imagination to create something new.

Trust

We promote an environment where people can contribute their best.

Straightforward

We're brave with our ideas and forward with our thoughts.

Management and ownership

International network

Since 1999, BBC has been representing Belgium in the worldwide E3 Network. Its main purpose is to enable the creation of international marketing campaigns aptly attuned to local cultures and sensitivities, with the right channel mix to reach the audience. Each year, BBC executes more than 25 international campaigns together with other network members.