The impression I get, and to be honest, the impression I have always got, is that the corporate head office does not really give a d***, they have cheap poor quality call centres, and have knocked the loyalty program 3 times in the last 13 months.
I think IHG will just see this as a side effect and argue that they cannot keep everyone happy, and are willing to loose some loyalty, believing they will make it up elsewhere and make savings with reduced liabilities to the loyalty program.
The hotels themselves are much better and the ones we go to regularly appear to value loyalty, they will continue to get our business, but I have just booked a bunch of stays, and out of 7 that would have gone to IHG, now only 2 have gone there.