ING Direct seeks consumer support

by Matt Cartmell, PR Week UK 27-Jan-09, 10:26

Savings bank ING Direct is currently seeking a fresh consumer PR agency.

The bank, which has used Band & Brown Communications for four years, has a pitch list of five agencies including the incumbent.

The pitch is being handled by AAR. ING Direct expects to have made a decision by April.

ING Direct head of corporate comms Martin Rutland said: ‘ING has made quite an impact in the UK and I suppose the next stage is to look at the best way to take that forward.’

The news comes as parent company ING announced the departure of its chief executive and 7,000 job losses as it posted a fourth-quarter loss of £3.1bn. Michel Tilmant will step down because of the stress of leading the group through the turbulent financial period.