Proxama, a developer of mobile contactless payments and Near Field Communications (NFC) technology, has acquired proximity marketing firm, Hypertag.

The Hypertag brand will be retained, and members of Hypertags senior management team will join Proxama. Neil Garner will hold overall responsibility for the group, while Jonathan Morgan, currently managing director of Hypertag, will join Proxama with immediate effect and take responsibility for integrating the two businesses, providing continuity for existing Hypertag customers.

Hypertag will become a division of Proxama, and will focus on delivering proximity marketing campaigns for international brands such as Nokia, Ford, O2 and BP. It will now also be able to add NFC technology to its Bluetooth and wi-fi offerings.

The Proxama brand will lead on the creation of technology services for NFC applications, including contactless payments and ticketing. Proxama has been working closely with brands such as Nokia, MasterCard, BT, Tesco and Virgin on creating NFC applications ready for launch when mass-market, NFC-enabled handsets emerge.

Commenting on the acquisition, Proxama CEO Neil Garner says: “Mobile is truly coming of age this year so I am delighted that we have secured a deal that will create the world’s leading proximity marketing specialist. Both companies have a track record of success in using mobile technology to revolutionise marketing campaigns and provide a greater return on investment for brands. With the growth of mobile uptake, NFC usage and the switching of advertising revenues away from traditional media, we are perfectly placed to exploit the demand for ‘hyper-local’ marketing communications.”