Hisense Appoints Bench Media as Lead ANZ Agency After Review
Hisense selects Bench Media as lead ANZ agency partner to drive integrated media strategy across Australia and New Zealand, focusing on brand building and performance marketing in competitive home ...
Global consumer electronics brand Hisense has appointed independent agency Bench Media as its key media partner across Australia and New Zealand following a competitive review. The partnership positions Bench Media to lead integrated, full-funnel media strategy, planning, and buying as Hisense pursues growth in competitive home entertainment and white goods categories.
Partnership Scope and Selection Criteria
Bench Media will collaborate with Hisense's network of specialist agency partners to drive the brand's media approach across ANZ markets. The Sydney-based agency, founded by Ori Gold and Shai Luft, was selected for its strategy-led approach that combines brand building and performance marketing under a unified planning framework.
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Michelle Wee, general manager marketing ANZ at Hisense, said the company sought an agency that could deliver strategic thinking, local market understanding, and measurable performance. "Bench demonstrated a clear understanding of our category, our customers and the role media needs to play across the full consumer journey, working effectively and collaboratively within our broader agency ecosystem," Wee stated.
The appointment supports Hisense's focus on building brand awareness, increasing early-stage purchase consideration, and translating global brand platforms into locally relevant outcomes. Hisense has experienced strong regional momentum across both product categories in recent months.
Strategic Focus Areas
The partnership will address six key areas: digital-first planning, retail media integration, data-led optimization, sponsorship amplification, brand salience building, and increasing consideration early in the purchase journey. This approach reflects the need to strengthen Hisense's presence from initial awareness through retail conversion and post-purchase engagement.
Nate Vella, head of strategy at Bench Media, identified Hisense as being at a critical inflection point in ANZ. "It's a brand with serious global scale, strong product suits and cultural relevance, particularly through sport and entertainment," Vella noted. "The opportunity now is to connect that strength more clearly into everyday Australian and New Zealand lives, and to do it in a way that drives both brand and business outcomes."
The partnership emphasizes consistency over complexity in media effectiveness, according to Vella. Bench Media evolved from digital origins into a full-service media business focused on connected planning, data-driven decision-making, and measurable growth outcomes.
Market Context and Industry Trends
The appointment reflects broader shifts in how consumer electronics brands structure agency relationships in Asia-Pacific markets. With 56% of APAC consumers abandoning brands they don't trust, companies like Hisense are prioritizing accountable, measurable media strategies that build both long-term brand equity and immediate sales results.
Consumer electronics brands face intensifying competition in saturated ANZ markets, requiring media partners who understand full-funnel dynamics rather than pure execution capabilities. Client-agency relationships across APAC have weakened post-COVID due to reduced face-to-face interactions and fragmented resources, driving brands to restructure partnerships around digital transformation and data-driven strategies.
Hisense's global brand strength includes partnerships with FIFA Club World Cup 2025 and UEFA EURO 2024, plus product innovations like a 136-inch MicroLED display showcased at CES 2025. Bench Media will amplify these global assets through locally relevant activation across retail and e-commerce channels.
The partnership takes effect immediately, with Bench Media working within Hisense's existing agency ecosystem rather than replacing all partners. This collaborative approach aligns with industry trends toward hybrid models that blend internal capabilities with external specialists while maintaining strategic consistency.
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