Halifax-area marketing agency Revolve has bought the book of business of web development company Code + Mortar, formerly called Norex, for an undisclosed price.

The two parties announced the acquisition on Friday, as Revolve also unveiled the hiring of Naveed Ashfaq, the former Managing Partner of Halifax-based ISL Digital Marketing, as its new Director of Digital.

Code + Mortar has been one of the most innovative web development agencies in the region, and its brainstorming led to the creation of such businesses as educational software company Squiggle Park and the elite athlete crowdfunding site Pursu.it. Its customers will now be handled by Bedford-based branding and marketing Revolve group, which already has a staff of 40 people.

“When the internet was new, websites were developed by IT firms,” said Revolve CEO Phil Otto in the statement. “I saw the web as a communications and marketing tool. Revolve was the first agency in the region to include website development in our suite of services to help execute the brand strategies we craft. This acquisition and hire further supports our position as one of Canada’s leading digital-first branding and marketing firms.”

The statement said Revolve and Code + Mortar possess skills that complement each other. The two companies first worked together in 2016 on the Bluenose Dome virtual reality experience for Brookes and Fiona Diamond, showcased at the Halifax Waterfront. A more recent collaboration in 2019 was the food delivery app Kangaroo, currently being piloted in Wolfville.

Code + Mortar has a 20-year history, with Norex growing out of the digital media company Sheepdog. Its founding CEO Julia Rivard became more involved in the growth of EyeRead, which today does business as Squiggle Park. After Rivard went full time with Squiggle Park, Jenelle Sobey joined Norex as Managing Director and oversaw the rebranding of the company as Code + Mortar.

With offices in Halifax and Toronto, the firm has been recognized by the Webby’s (the Oscars of the web) and is 100 percent owned by women.

“We are thrilled to announce that our clients will transition to Revolve,” said Sobey. “We are confident the next chapter will strengthen the legacy that started as Norex and bring even more strategic and creative talent to service our clients.”

Like Rivard before her, Sobey has in the past two years become more consumed with a product-based business. She is a Co-Founder and CEO of Fredericton-based RIDDL, which provides proprietary data to impact investors to guide better investment decisions. Its mission is to build the world’s largest databank of social performance metrics. The company was the runner up in New Brunswick’s Breakthru competition last year.

The digital business at Revolve will now be headed by Ashfaq, who spent 20 years as a Managing Partner at the digital agency ISL, which was acquired by Vancouver-based FCV, where he served as Managing Director.

“Naveed excels at bridging the technical, design and marketing disciplines of digital engagements while applying agile delivery methods,” said Otto. “As Director of Digital, he will manage Revolve’s digital team and provide strategic leadership to our clients’ digital footprints.”