In November last year, NEC Home Electronics Australia announced that it was ending its short-term association with Pearl PR, in favour of bringing PR in-house until a suitable replacement company was found.
While NEC marketing manager, Michelle Hancox, told SmartHouse News at the time that Pearl PR was not suited for the role ? as Pearl PR's experience in consumer technology was limited to a few IT businesses ? Pearl PR director, Hollie Young, vowed that Pearl PR had indeed terminated its relationship with NEC in favour of another, larger account.
While Pearl PR is yet to announce its replacement account, which Young said was more suited to its vendor line-up which currently includes Microsoft training company, Readify, along with computer-maker, Asus, NEC's move away from Pearl PR could suggest that the niche PR company wasn't qualified to do justice to NEC's home electronics group's growing product portfolio, which includes home theatre projectors, flatscreen TVs and DVD recorders.
According to NEC marketing manager, Don Patton, NEC will continue to run its PR in-house until the end of the company's financial year ? on 31 March ? at which time NEC will endeavour to recruit a larger PR company that specialises in home entertainment and home office equipment.
