Castor and Pollux
Castor & Pollux is a French employee-owned digital communications agency (founded 2010, Montreuil) serving large enterprise brands with integrated creative services across six verticals, plus two adjacent products: Version (rapid production-as-a-service) and Talents (digital staffing).
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersMontreuil, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Castor and Pollux does
Castor & Pollux is a French digital communications agency headquartered in Montreuil (suburb of Paris), founded in 2010 and operating as a SAS (private limited company). The firm delivers integrated digital creative services across six verticals: digital transformation consulting, brand identity and strategy, social media and influence, web design and digital ecosystems, activation/campaign/advertising, and brand content. Its client base consists predominantly of large French and international brands across energy (ENGIE, Enedis, GRDF), banking (BNP Paribas, Société Générale, Oney, Edenred), luxury (Paco Rabanne, Diptyque, Make Up For Ever), food and beverage (La Poste, Jacquet Brossard, Suze, Grand Fermage), publishing (Gallimard, INA), and NGOs (WWF France), with several multi-year strategic relationships (La Poste 6+ years, ENGIE since 2020).
The agency's core technology and IP consist of three distinct offerings beyond traditional agency services: (1) 'Version', a production-as-a-service unit delivering print and digital communication materials within 3 days at up to 50% cost savings versus traditional agency pricing; (2) 'Talents', a wholly-owned digital staffing subsidiary matching companies with digital professionals from a 500+ candidate database within a 2-week turnaround; and (3) 'Empreinte', a proprietary eco-design methodology and online tool that measures website CO2 footprint across 7 dimensions (Design, Typography, Hosting, Lazy-loading, Images, Color, Negawatt). Distribution is primarily direct enterprise sales with senior-led pitch processes, complemented by dedicated inbound channels (email and landing pages) for Version and Talents.
Revenue is generated through professional-services fees across the three streams: project-based and retainer engagements for the core creative agency, per-project/per-format production fees for Version, and placement fees for Talents. The firm is 50% employee-owned, with a Direction Committee of 6 shareholder-directors overseeing operations, and has earned Agences Actives and ISO 26000 certifications, a 99/100 gender-pay-equality index score, and a maximum 1-to-7 salary gap.
Castor and Pollux firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Castor and Pollux
- Legal name
- Castor & Pollux
- Website
- https://castoretpollux.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Castor & Pollux is a French employee-owned digital communications agency (founded 2010, Montreuil) serving large enterprise brands with integrated creative services across six verticals, plus two adjacent products: Version (rapid production-as-a-service) and Talents (digital staffing).
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Castor and Pollux industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital Creative & Communications Services
- NAICS
- Advertising Agencies (541810), Media Buying Agencies (54183)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Production & Talent Services (Casting, Crew, Production Management) (MPAAAMAF)
Keywords
Where Castor and Pollux is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Montreuil
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Castor and Pollux business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Digital Creative Agency Services: Castor & Pollux generates revenue through client engagements spanning strategy, brand design, web development, social media management, campaign activation, and brand content production. Projects range from brand identity creation and website redesigns to multi-channel campaign execution and ongoing retainer relationships with major French and international brands.
- Version (Production-as-a-Service): A production unit delivering high-volume communication materials (emails, social formats, presentations, signage) under rapid turnaround (3-day delivery) at competitive prices. Revenue derived from per-project and per-format production fees, positioned as a more agile alternative to traditional agency retainers.
- Talents (Staffing & Placement): A cabinet de placement (staffing service) placing digital experts into client companies within 2 weeks, drawing from a database of over 500 candidate profiles. Revenue generated through placement fees for matched talent.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Version production service – competitive per-project pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Castor and Pollux product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Castor & Pollux is a full-service digital creative agency that delivers integrated strategy, brand design, web development, social media management, campaign activation, and brand content production for large French and international brands. It also operates two distinct sub-brands: Version, a rapid production-as-a-service for print and digital communication materials (3-day delivery, up to 50% cost savings), and Talents, a staffing subsidiary that places digital experts into client companies within two weeks from a pool of 500+ candidates. The agency additionally maintains Empreinte, a proprietary eco-design methodology and CO2 measurement tool for websites.
Product overview
Castor & Pollux is a digital communication agency based in Montreuil, France, operating as a unified agency rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The company offers three distinct service products: Version (a rapid production service for print and digital communication materials), Talents (a digital expert recruitment and placement service), and Empreinte (an eco-design awareness tool). The agency's core offerings are organized through six service verticals covering the full digital communication spectrum: transformation digitale et conseil, identité et stratégie de marque, social media et influence, webdesign et écosystème digital, activation campagne et publicité, and brand content. These verticals work together to provide integrated digital communication services from strategy through execution.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Version: A production service offering that delivers communication materials in all versions — print or digital — quickly and at competitive prices. Version competes with both agencies and freelancers, offering agile, senior-led teams with 10 years of average experience, streamlined costs without intermediaries, and expertise in both print and digital production.
Products and services
- Version (Production-as-a-Service) Version is a rapid production service from Castor & Pollux that delivers print and digital communication materials (emails, social media formats, presentations, signage, packaging) within 3 days at up to 50% cost savings versus traditional agency models. It positions itself between freelance and full agency offerings with agile senior-led teams averaging 10 years of experience.
- Talents (Digital Staffing & Placement) Talents is Castor & Pollux's staffing and placement subsidiary that connects companies with digital experts (UX designers, community managers, product owners, e-commerce specialists) within a 2-week turnaround. The service draws from a database of over 500 candidate profiles and generates revenue through placement fees.
- Empreinte (Eco-Design Methodology & CO2 Tool) Empreinte is Castor & Pollux's proprietary eco-design framework and online calculator that measures a website's CO2 footprint across 7 chapters: Design, Typography, Negawatt (caching), Hosting, Lazy-loading, Images, and Color. Built on OVH infrastructure in France (77% renewable energy), it is used internally and offered to clients as part of sustainability-focused engagements.
- Digital Transformation & Consulting Digital transformation and consulting service helping brands navigate digital acculturation, redefine their USP, redesign customer experiences, and execute change management as part of integrated digital strategy engagements.
- Brand Identity & Strategy Brand identity and strategy service covering brand platform development, logotype and visual system design, naming, editorial guidelines, and brand positioning to help brands differentiate in saturated markets.
- Social Media & Influence Social media and influencer service translating brand social promises into editorial strategies, content calendars, social listening, paid media optimization, and influencer activation across platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Twitch.
- Web Design & Digital Ecosystem Web design and digital ecosystem service covering websites, UX/UI design, e-commerce platforms, design systems, creative coding, SEO audits, technical architecture, API integrations, and user journey mapping for enterprise brands.
- Activation, Campaign & Advertising Activation, campaign, and advertising service creating creative concepts for both online and offline activations (TV, print, digital, social) aligned with environmental and societal audience concerns, including 360-degree campaigns and omni-channel strategy execution.
- Brand Content Brand content service creating experiences that express brand character through illustration, 3D, set design, snack content, interviews, podcasts, and editorial storytelling that transcends conventional marketing.
Quantifiable outcome
- +171% brand awareness for ENGIE since 2020
- +12 more outcomes
Companies that use Castor and Pollux
Customer profileNamed customers27 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Castor and Pollux technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Castor and Pollux partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- DiptyquecoreMulti-year collaboration involving e-commerce redesign, editorial guidelines creation, full product copywriting, e-mailing campaign production, and placement of 3 Talents (Product Owner, content project manager, e-commerce expert) within Diptyque's teams during the platform refonte.
- La Poste / Colissimocore6 years of ongoing collaboration on public and professional email campaign production, including the setup of a dedicated email builder.
- ENGIEcoreSocial media mandate since 2020 covering multi-platform content strategy (Meta, TikTok, YouTube), 50+ creator collaborations (Dash2en1, Daetienne, MorganVS), presence at Roland Garros and major French festivals. Results: +171% brand awareness, +103% engagement.
- EnediscoreFull website redesign project including user needs identification, UX writing runs, and a comprehensive design system. Multi-step methodology with 15 Enedis collaborators contributing to a new site practical for consumers.
- Société GénéralecoreOngoing social media and display advertising production for approximately 15 campaigns per year, covering 800+ static and animated formats annually.
- Paco RabannecoreWebsite redesign (pacorabanne.com) with immersive, full-screen interface designed to appeal to Gen Z while reflecting the luxury house's heritage. 'Less For More' design philosophy throughout.
- DeezercoreBrand strategy, USP development, editorial guidelines, logo and graphic identity creation, and cover production (200+ visuals) for the Zen by Deezer wellness app launch. Ongoing CRM template management across 7 languages.
- BNP ParibasmajorListed as a key client on the agency's main site, indicating an ongoing client relationship for digital communication services.
- WWF Francemajor'Meathologie' 360° campaign to shift 15-35 year olds toward plant-based eating, including film production, social media content, influencer activation, and an Instagram filter.
- L'INA (Institut National de l'Audiovisuel)majorDesign and development of Madelen, a streaming platform for French audiovisual archives. Surpassed KPI targets with +10,000 subscriptions within 4 days of launch.
- SuezminorListed as a key client on the agency's main site.
- OneyminorListed as a key client on the agency's main site.
- EdenredminorListed as a key client on the agency's main site; project work focused on brand DNA digital transition.
- CorsairminorListed as a key client on the agency's main site; social media and influence strategy collaboration.
- Mairie de MontreuilminorPartnership with the local Montreuil municipality for waste sorting and recycling (bins provided by the city hall for the agency's office waste).
- Crèches inter-entreprises partnersminorPartnerships with inter-company nurseries to provide 100% financing of childcare costs for young parent employees.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Castor and Pollux competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- AKQA: Global digital creative agency (part of WPP) focused on brand strategy, experience design, campaign innovation and digital products. Closely comparable to Castor & Pollux in service mix (digital strategy, brand design, campaign activation, content) and target client profile (premium and luxury brands).
- BETC: BETC is a Paris-headquartered, Havas-owned full-service creative and digital agency serving major French and international brands across advertising, brand content, social media and digital transformation — directly comparable to Castor & Pollux's positioning, vertical coverage, and Paris/France-centric client mix.
- R/GA: Independent digital creative agency (part of IPG) specializing in brand innovation, experience design, product development and campaign work. Comparable to Castor & Pollux in offering an integrated strategy/creative/technology model and targeting enterprise clients on transformation mandates.
Broad incumbents
- Havas: Paris-headquartered global communications group operating creative, media, health and digital networks (Havas Creative, Havas Media, Arnold, BETC). It is one of Castor & Pollux's most direct French full-service competitors at scale, with overlapping verticals (luxury, energy, banking) and similar services.
- WPP: London-headquartered global advertising holding company with major networks in France (Ogilvy, VMLY&R, Wunderman Thompson, GroupM). Competes for the same large French enterprise and luxury clients as Castor & Pollux but with a much broader media, data and production portfolio.
- Publicis Groupe: Paris-headquartered global advertising holding company with large digital, creative, media and production networks (Publicis, Leo Burnett, Saatchi & Saatchi, Digitas). It competes for the same French enterprise RFPs as Castor & Pollux and represents the 'scale incumbent' alternative that brand clients may choose instead of an independent mid-sized agency.
- Dentsu: Tokyo-headquartered global advertising holding company with a substantial French and EMEA footprint (Dentsu Creative, Merkle, Carat). It overlaps with Castor & Pollux on digital transformation, social media, and brand strategy services for large enterprise clients, including several shared end-markets (energy, retail, FMCG).
- DDB: Global creative agency network (Omnicom-owned) with a Paris office serving French enterprise and consumer brands. Overlaps with Castor & Pollux across brand strategy, digital campaigns and content production, but operates at significantly larger scale with global delivery capabilities.
- Serviceplan Group: Munich-headquartered, Europe's largest independent agency group, operating House of Communication model spanning creative, media, digital and technology. Comparable in offering integrated strategy/creative/tech services for European enterprise clients (e.g., BMW, Lufthansa, METRO) — a direct alternative for clients weighing mid-sized independents.
- TBWA: Global creative agency network with strong Paris presence (TBWA\Paris, TBWA\Hakuhodo) offering brand strategy, advertising, digital and content services. Competes head-to-head with Castor & Pollux for French enterprise and luxury clients (e.g., LVMH-adjacent brands) but at significantly larger scale and global reach.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Castor and Pollux social profiles
Digital presenceCastor and Pollux compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Castor and Pollux financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Castor and Pollux leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Castor and Pollux subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Castor and Pollux funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Castor and Pollux M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Castor and Pollux
What does Castor and Pollux do?
Castor & Pollux is a full-service digital creative agency that delivers integrated strategy, brand design, web development, social media management, campaign activation, and brand content production for large French and international brands. It also operates two distinct sub-brands: Version, a rapid production-as-a-service for print and digital communication materials (3-day delivery, up to 50% cost savings), and Talents, a staffing subsidiary that places digital experts into client companies within two weeks from a pool of 500+ candidates. The agency additionally maintains Empreinte, a proprietary eco-design methodology and CO2 measurement tool for websites.
Is Castor and Pollux a public or private company?
Castor and Pollux is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Castor and Pollux founded?
Castor and Pollux was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Castor and Pollux based?
Castor and Pollux is headquartered in Montreuil, France, in the Europe region.
How does Castor and Pollux make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Digital Creative Agency Services are the primary driver. The others are version (Production-as-a-Service) and talents (Staffing & Placement).
Who are Castor and Pollux's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are AKQA, BETC and R/GA. Broad incumbents are Havas, WPP, Publicis Groupe, Dentsu, DDB, Serviceplan Group and TBWA.
Does Castor and Pollux have an API?
No public API is recorded for Castor and Pollux.
What industry is Castor and Pollux in?
Castor and Pollux's product category is Digital Creative & Communications Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAAAMAF, Production & Talent Services (Casting, Crew, Production Management). Its NAICS code is 541810 and its SIC code is 7311.