Proximity wins £7m InterContinental brief

Proximity London is tipped to win the £7m pan-European direct marketing account for InterContinental Hotels Group.

Proximity London is tipped to win the &£7m pan-European direct marketing account for InterContinental Hotels Group.

The review was called in October, just two months after Arc Worldwide was awarded the below-the-line accounts for two of the group’s brands, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn. It is not clear if Arc was asked to repitch.

It is understood that Proximity will work on the two brands but not the main InterContinental Hotels brand, which is handled by above-the-line agency Leagas Delaney and is not affected by the review. The company is also reviewing its media arrangements for its Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn and Express by Holiday Inn brands.

InterContinental Hotels Group denies a decision has been made and says an announcement will be made once contract negotiations are under way. Proximity refuses to comment, but industry sources say the agency is close to clinching the account.

Last year, the company overtook hotel franchise group Cendant to become the world’s biggest hotel chain after embarking on a major expansion.

In July this year, InterContinental signed a franchise agreement for five new Holiday Inns in the UK, bringing its total to 100.