Intercontinental Hotels adds Out of the Blue to agency roster

Intercontinental Hotels Group, the international hotel chain, has added Out of the Blue Communications to its agency roster to work on its Crowne Plaza brand. The agency was appointed following a three-way pitch against two undisclosed agencies.

Out of the Blue will act as the lead strategic agency alongside media agency Carat and integrated agency Proximity.

It will focus on event and experiential marketing to promote the brand to business travellers and will launch a pan-European campaign this summer.

Proximity was awarded the brand’s £7m creative account early last year at about the same time that Carat won the £5m media planning and buying account. Crowne Plaza has an estate of 68 upscale hotels across EMEA with more planned for 2007.