Birmingham, 10 March 2015 – Leading shopping centre manager and owner, intu, has appointed Inspired Thinking Group to handle its print procurement and marketing workflow.

A pioneer of technology-led marketing, ITG will employ its proprietary resource management platform, Media Centre, to coordinate campaigns, data and assets across intu’s 15 prime UK shopping centres.

ITG will also leverage its huge print-buying power and best-in-class print supply chain to secure substantial cost efficiencies for the company.

A FTSE100 company, intu owns and operates many of the UK’s biggest and most popular retail and leisure destinations, including nine of the top 20, and super-regional centres such as intu Trafford Centre, intu Metrocentre and intu Lakeside.

From February 2013, its shopping centres were rebranded under the intu name, with a focus on providing customers with a compelling shopping experience backed by world-class service.

ITG CEO Simon Ward said: “intu is a company that understands the importance of a single, national brand. Using Media Centre, we can provide significant cost-efficiencies and workflow benefits for intu giving more for the same investment. Compared with traditional processes, Media Centre delivers faster turnaround and greater accuracy of artwork, an efficient approvals process, consistency of design and compliance across all sites.”

Engaging one supplier rather than multiple agencies servicing different centres delivers significant opportunities for economies of scale, ensuring more for the marketing investment and added value. The use of a technology-based system links with intu’s commitment to digital connectivity, which has resulted in excellent multi-channel retail environments for intu shopping centre customers.

As part of the agreement, intu will have access to ITG’s support services, subject matter experts and 24/7 artworking studio at Fort Dunlop, Birmingham. The studio employs around 200 staff, is home to dedicated creative and packaging departments, and is supported by a full-service in-house digital agency.

Trevor Pereira, commercial & digital director of intu, said: “Working with ITG will ensure consistently high quality that our customers and retailers expect from intu, combined with efficient work and economies that make our marketing spend go further.”

By accessing Media Centre’s intuitive interface through any browser, intu and authorised suppliers have instant access to all campaign assets and reports. intu’s central marketing team can brief and approve artworks and gain real-time visibility of quotes, spend and campaign progress.

Media Centre was designed by marketers for marketers, and developed at ITG’s technology base in Dartford. It is currently used to manage the marketing workflows of dozens of leading brands and retailers, including M&S, Renault, Heineken, PUMA, Sainsbury’s, ŠKODA, Halfords, Pizza Hut, KFC and Boots.