CIA nets $20m Six Continents work

<p>HONG KONG: Six Continents Hotels, formerly known as Bass Hotels and </p><p>Resorts, is believed to have appointed media agency CIA as its strategic </p><p>marketing communications partner, according to sources in the </p><p>communications and travel industries. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The group, with hotel brands such as Inter-Continental, Holiday Inn, </p><p>Crowne Plaza, Parkroyal and Centra, is also said to be close to </p><p>appointing a lead creative agency. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The entire account is estimated to be worth about US$20 million </p><p>annually. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The decision to appoint CIA follows a full review of the marketing </p><p>communications activities of the different brands operated by Six </p><p>Continents,which included group corporate programmes and campaigns for </p><p>individual hotel chains, according to travel industry sources. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Bass was renamed as Six Continents after its recent acquisition of the </p><p>Inter-Continental brand. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The hotel group previously used a roster of different media agencies, </p><p>including CIA. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>This is also the case with the creative account, which is currently </p><p>split among Grey Worldwide, Bamboo and FCB. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The appointment of CIA as the lead communications agency is seen as </p><p>significant because Six Continents is among a small, but growing, number </p><p>of prominent brands globally to entrust the central and complex </p><p>strategic component of its marketing communications responsibilities to </p><p>a specialist and not a traditional agency set-up. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Recently, beverage company Allied Domecq also deviated from the norm by </p><p>entrusting its strategic brief to direct agency 141 over an advertising </p><p>agency. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>It is understood that the Six Continents account will be managed by CIA </p><p>Hong Kong, which will also be performing media planning and buying </p><p>functions. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>See leader - p19. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>