Not many digital firms can honestly declare they have the X-Factor, but with websites for the likes of Cheryl Cole, Girls Aloud and The Saturdays to their credit, it’s a claim that Clusta can proudly make.
The Birmingham-based business began 12 years ago as a straight-forward graphic design agency, working primarily with bars and clubs. However it quickly picked up on the digital bug to become a business that works with major brands such as CBS, Cadbury, Kellogg’s and Fortis, and with some of the world’s biggest advertising agencies. Although its base is firmly in The Heart of England, the Midlands region, Clusta has grown to have offices in London and Los Angeles.
Managing director Russell Townsend, who founded the business with Matthew Clugston, said: “What really differentiates us from other digital agencies is that we realise the importance of aesthetics as well as technology in digital design. So much of the industry is driven by technology without regards to how the finished product looks and how it’ll be used.
“For example we did a website with Cadbury to give away free Crunchie chocolate bars on Fridays. It was aesthetically attractive enough to attract hundreds of thousands of people to register, but robust enough not to crash when they all signed up.”
Although Clusta puts a great deal of emphasis on the aesthetic appeal of its work, it is deeply involved in developing the Midlands’ ICT technical capabilities. The agency is setting up an innovation lab, through a knowledge transfer partnership (KTP), with the University of Birmingham. It is also developing a piece of software that allows users to interact with giant television screens by using their iPhones to pinch, drag and access aps.
Russell Townsend adds: “We want to turn Clusta into a fully-fledged digital marketing agency, not only handling the technology and design, but the planning, the strategy and implementation on how digital technology can best be used for our clients.”
For more information on Clusta, visit www.clusta.com