The Creative Strategy Agency Celebrates 10 Years

SPRINGFIELD — The Creative Strategy Agency Inc. (tCSA), a local digital marketing and advertising agency, celebrates its 10th anniversary today. Started by Alfonso Santaniello on Aug. 9, 2009, tCSA has grown into a fully staffed agency servicing local and national clients in social-media marketing, advertising, and search-engine marketing.

“It wasn’t always easy,” said Santaniello, pesident and CEO. “I was 24 when I started my business. I thought I knew everything. Boy, was I wrong.”

Santaniello established tCSA after getting laid off at the beginning of the recession in 2008. “I didn’t know it was the recession at that time, but I am a go-getter. I didn’t wait for opportunity to come to me; I built my own opportunity,” he said. It wasn’t until he landed his first client, a national company that he took the leap to really pursue the business.

Growing his agency was something Santaniello had to learn quickly. “As a business owner, it may not be the best thing to say this, but I hate sales,” he said. “I had to think of creative ways to reach more people and to showcase who I was and what I knew without being sales-y or aggressive.”

In 2010, when most companies had yet to use video marketing or understand the influence of YouTube, Santaniello launched “Strictly Businews.” Over its run, this digital web talk show garnished more than 1 million views and an award. “It was an innovative way to get my name out there and meet people that eventually turned into clients,” he said. “At the time, no one was creating a video series for their business. I definitely think I was ahead of my time.”

With the web series’ success, Santaniello’s clientele expanded from local to national as he signed on with businesses from Washington, D.C., Seattle, and San Diego. After six years, the series ended in 2016.

Over the course of 10 years, tCSA has worked within a wide range of industries, including restaurants, e-commerce, manufacturing, and nonprofits. “I love being able to work across various sectors,” Santaniello said. “I love being challenged in how we develop winning strategies for clients in all industries.”