REF Digital

Bulles: Building a Bridge Between Worlds What happens when you ask autistic students to describe their ideal world? You get a glimpse into universes that most of us never see. Led by teacher Mélissa Lefebvre, the Bulles project was born from a simple goal: to give these voices a place to land. Our mission was to build that bridge. With the help of Loosefit and Studios OCTAVE, we created a sensory digital experience where the tech and design allow the unique intelligence of these young creators to take center stage. Beyond the code, this project is about shifting perspectives. We’ve provided our client with a platform that turns abstract imagination into a tangible reality. We believe technology is at its best when it creates genuine human connection, and this project is exactly that. Explore the experience: https://lnkd.in/euqc8AMK

L’IA agentique fait beaucoup parler. Mais concrètement, qu’est-ce que ça change quand on délègue une partie de nos tâches à des agents IA? Et surtout : est-ce que ça marche vraiment? Le 26 mai, notre collègue Ariane Lafleur, stratège principale chez REF Digital, montera sur scène à Interface - Québec aux côtés de Zachary Boland, Ingénieur des solutions IA chez Gumloop, pour partager un retour honnête et concret sur l’adoption agentique. Au programme : six mois d’expérimentation avec quatre agents IA, des succès, des ratés, et surtout des apprentissages applicables dès le lendemain, peu importe votre rôle ou votre industrie. Si le sujet vous intrigue, venez assister à la conférence : https://lnkd.in/esztJPqe On s’y voit!

The web is not neutral. It includes or it excludes. Today, for GAAD (Global Accessibility Awareness Day) Foundation, we wanted to highlight one simple idea: digital accessibility should never be an afterthought. At REF, it is part of how we design and build the web. We work to create more accessible experiences for everyone, whether that means navigating without a mouse, using a screen reader, living with low vision, or facing motor limitations. This work is never really “done.” It is a work in progress, yes, but an essential one. Because at the end of the day, making a website accessible means removing barriers. It means widening access. And above all, it means choosing not to exclude. We keep learning, refining, and improving, one design decision and one line of code at a time.

Six brands, one recipe: Scale without the struggle. How do you refresh six iconic brands like Olymel B2C, Flamingo, Lafleur, Pinty’s, La Fernandière without doubling budgets or timelines? You stop building silos and start building systems. Facing a major brand architecture shift, the Olymel group needed a way to modernize its digital presence across its entire portfolio. Our solution was a modular ecosystem: a shared technical foundation that allowed us to deploy six unique sites faster and smarter. By standardizing the "skeleton," we eliminated redundant work. This allowed us to focus on what really matters, protecting the unique DNA and heritage of each brand while ensuring a seamless, modern experience for the consumer. The result is a unified group force where efficiency and brand character go hand in hand.

Innover, oui. Mais pas au point de perdre les gens en chemin. C’est tout l’intérêt du principe MAYA: Most Advanced Yet Acceptable: trouver l’équilibre entre ce qui est nouveau et ce qui reste assez familier pour être adopté. Merci à Ariane Lafleur, stratège principale, pour cette réflexion présentée au Rendez-vous numérique 2026.

12 nominations au concours Idéa porté par l'A2C - Association des agences de communication créative, et chaque projet raconte un peu de ce qu’on aime faire chez REF. Imaginer des expériences numériques qui allient justesse, impact et sens. Penser en systèmes, créer avec intention et bâtir des marques et plateformes qui avancent vraiment. Ces nominations nous rendent fier·ères, bien sûr, mais elles nous rappellent surtout la qualité des collaborations derrière le travail. Merci à nos client·es, partenaires et équipes pour la confiance, l’audace et le talent!

Simplifying the complex for Excellence en santé Canada. How do you turn a massive volume of healthcare education programs and resources into an accessible, high‑performance digital ecosystem? For this mandate, we went beyond web design to architect a platform where institutional trust meets effortless discovery. With a modular architecture, we built a scalable component library that replaces dense content silos with flexible building blocks. By organizing information logically in a smart navigation, we ensure users can scan the page and find exactly what they need at a glance. All that with an accessibility-first approach, built to WCAG AA and AODA standards. The result: information density meets intuitive design in a digital ecosystem that’s scalable, inclusive, and perfectly aligned with the mission. Visit the website: https://lnkd.in/gf4wb97S

We’re incredibly proud to share that we brought home 4 Applied Arts Design Awards! One for Cellart, one for Dime mtl, one for It Gets Better Canada, and one for our very own REF Digital website. Each of these projects represents a meaningful collaboration and a shared belief in the power of digital design to move people and brands forward. Grateful to our partners and everyone on our teams who poured their talent and heart into making this work possible.

Jeudi dernier, on a eu la chance d’assister à la première du documentaire Bulles, une œuvre touchante qui nous plonge dans le quotidien d’élèves autistes au secondaire, entre créativité, sensibilité et réalité de tous les jours.

 On a aussi eu le privilège de contribuer au projet, en imaginant une expérience numérique immersive qui invite les jeunes à créer leur propre bulle.

 Plongez dans leur univers avec le documentaire, diffusé sur Télé-Québec, et l’expérience numérique qui l’accompagne. Découvrez l'expérience ici: https://lnkd.in/e_G88HXg