Orange Bus driving digital strategy for Science City

Oct 15 2009 by Iain Laing, The Journal

CREATIVE digital agency Orange Bus is driving a dynamic digital strategy for Newcastle's Science City.

The project, which has attracted pitches from almost all of the region’s major digital agencies, involves the creation of a complex strategy that will allow the organisation to develop skills, businesses, research, resources and buildings, to create prosperity from science for Newcastle.

The six Science Cities across the UK have been tasked with leading the development of deeper links between business and the science base, and to ensure that science, technology and innovation succeed in becoming the engine of economic growth.

Orange Bus will spend the next three months developing a new portal to create what is effectively the platform for a worldwide forum for science.

Managing director and co-founder of Orange Bus, Julian Leighton, said: “We have a two-phased approach to this contract. Firstly, we will apply a new look and feel to the current website whilst moving it onto our content management system.

“We will then continue to develop the site behind the scenes ready for a December launch of phase two, which brings together all five areas of the Newcastle Science City project in one place.

“By carrying out substantial user experience planning we will ensure visitors can find the information relevant to them, and in a format that suits, so the site will be rich in video content and will be part of a wider social media strategy incorporating twitter feeds, blogging, community areas and content aggregated from external sources.

“It’s a major contract win for us and we’re enjoying working with the team at Newcastle Science City.”

Peter Arnold, chief executive of Newcastle Science City, said: “There is an impressive array of scientific enterprise in Newcastle and the North East and we have experts here from many institutions from all over the city.

“We are delighted to be working with Orange Bus to create a portal to showcase this fantastic science to the world as part of Newcastle Science City’s effort to attract people, companies and collaborative investment.”