Barr not alienated by credit crunch

Web design and marketing agency Alienation Digital has reported its most successful year to date following the opening of an office in London.

Managing director Neil Barr, who started the Glasgow business as a one-man-band in 1997, said he expected turnover for the year ending in March to be up more than 20 per cent to about 750,000.

Barr said his business had taken off since the credit crunch following years of cautious enlargement, and now has a five-year plan for growth by targeting the huge amount of businesses in central London.

"The last two years have been fantastic," he said. "Part of it is the credit crunch, because what we do is digital and there are often cost savings to doing things on line.

"We've also started to get the team working together better, and longevity helps - a lot of digital agencies come and go, so people respect you if you're established."

The expansion to London, and a move to larger premises in Scotland last February, has seen the agency's staff increase from 13 to 18, with plans to recruit more in the coming months. Barr said finding the right people to support this growth and aid the further expansion of both offices was his priority for the year ahead.

In the last 12 months, Alienation has won contracts with the licensed distributor of PGA Golf merchandise PSD Golf, Condor Cycles, Missing People and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

The firm was recently ranked 66th in the Recommended Agency Register of the top 100 marketing services companies outside London, up from its debut appearance at 74 in 2009.