LONDON — Built environment specialist ING Media has won a three-year account worth more than £250,000 to support the Key Cities group with policy and media services, after a competitive pitch.

The agency takes over the brief from Weber Shandwick, and has been tasked with helping the group – which represents the economic, environmental and societal interests of 25 mid-size UK cities – to increase its influence as part of the UK’s post-Covid economic recovery, including on issues relating to ports, housing, climate, culture and devolution.

ING will manage Key Cities’ PR activity, online content and social media, events, consultation responses and policy statements. It will also coordinate the Key Cities All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) alongside Images & Co, a specialist consultancy focused on culture and identity in cities and public environments.

ING has a track record of working with cities across the UK and internationally, including its award-winning campaign to promote Helsinki’s Year of Art and Architecture, as well as Leipzig, the City of London, West Midlands Combined Authority and the Scottish Cities Alliance.

The agency’s founder and MD Leanne Tritton said: “2021 is the built environment’s moment to explain the fundamental role it will play in helping the UK to successfully recover from the pandemic. Key Cities represents communities stretching from Plymouth to Carlisle that together make up the engine room of the UK. We look forward to working with the group as it seeks to bring about a range of social and economic improvements for all its members and society at large.”

Key Cities’ chair John Merry added: “ING Media’s appointment is an important milestone for the Key Cities network, as we look to strengthen the role that our cities will play in the post-Covid recovery. Their expertise and network will support us in our mission to improve these places for all members of society.”

The Key Cities appointment follows the agency picking up a number of property sector accounts at the end of 2020, including proptech firms AirRated and Metrikus, engineer Webb Yates and Brookgate’s Cambridge North development.

ING has also hired digital and marketing strategist Eddy Bray, who joins from Havas where he was head of performance for Telefónica. Before Havas, Eddy was head of programmatic trading and sales at the Guardian.