By James Wells
SYDNEY: Bing Lee has become the first Narta member to appoint a high profile public relations agency to cement its position in the highly competitive Sydney metropolitan appliance retailing market.
Bing Lee general manager, Phil Moujeas, told Current.com.au that the appointment of Bay Street Mediaworks is designed to provide the business with greater awareness in the marketplace.
“The size of the business we are now, and the growth tht we have had, we have made a decision that we require a public relations company to help with the business,” Moujeas told Current.com.au.
Bay Street Mediaworks also represents Sharp Electronics as well as Sony Pictures.
According to Bay Street Mediaworks, account coordinator, Lani Pauli, the initial projects include a ‘What’s Hot for Christmas’ shortlist which focuses on the latest trends which will be distributed to consumer media publications.
“Another story Bing Lee are keen to develop is a piece on the difference between LCD and plasma television units,” Pauli told Current.com.au.
Bing Lee, which turned over in excess of $350 million last financial year from its 36 shopfronts, recently announced plans to open 11 additional sites in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory by placing advertisements in newspapers which identified preferred locations.
The sites included Hurstville, Mt Druitt, Northern Beaches, Richmond and Taren Point in the Sydney metropolitan area as well as the Southern Highlands and Port Macquarie locations in regional New South Wales.
Additional sites were also named in the Australian Capital Territory at Woden, Belconnen and Queanbeyan.
Bing Lee purchased the Sony Chatswood store in June and has announced it would like to open additional Sony stores in Sydney and in Canberra. Bing Lee already operates a Sony Central store at World Square in the Sydney CBD.
Bing Lee director, Lionel Lee, estimates that the company could open up to five additional Sony Central stores in New South Wales and one store in Canberra.