(Image credit: Hisense)
As a former real homes writer, I’ve spent a fair share of my career nosing around other people’s houses. It was a dream job, even if it did leave me with a permanent case of house envy. So, when Hisense invited me to tour its fully kitted-out show apartment in London, I jumped at the chance to have a snoop.While I was there to check out the new kitchen line, I also sat down with Matthew Glynn, Hisense’s Senior GTM Product and Marketing Manager in the U.K. What I discovered is a company working tirelessly to shed its “budget” reputation and prove it can compete with the industry’s heavy hitters.Challenging the TV brand perception
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)Mention ‘Hisense’ to most people, and televisions probably come to mind. As a home writer, I was already aware that the company offered more than just some of the best TVs, but I positioned them in my own mind as an affordable mid-market brand when it came to appliances.My TG colleagues, however, weren’t so familiar with the company’s kitchen and laundry offerings; they still described them as “a dependable brand” with “reasonable price points” but assumed their home appliances would lack high-end features.Glynn was quick to correct that perception. In reality, refrigeration is the “bread and butter” of the business, and the company’s global split between TVs and major domestic appliances is nearly 50/50. But televisions and refrigeration are not the brand’s biggest growth sectors.The biggest growth areas are currently the cooking and laundry sectorsMatthew Glynn, Hisense“The biggest growth areas are currently the cooking and laundry sectors,” Glynn noted, though he acknowledged these are growing from a smaller base than their established fridge business.The 'Choose Smarter' strategyIn 2023, Hisense launched the ‘Choose Smarter’ campaign in the U.K. to reposition itself. The goal is to move away from the “cheap” label and toward a premium perception.Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.Hisense describes the campaign as “designed to highlight the brand’s combination of premium technology and accessibility across its TV and home appliances range.”Glynn, a former employee of rival brand Shark/Ninja, knows the U.K. is still playing catch-up with the U.S. in terms of brand recognition, but the ambition is clear.“We want to push ourselves against the likes of Bosch,” says Glynn. The strategy isn’t just about price; it’s about adding value to the product. “If you compared us with a competitor, we should have significantly more features and benefits — but they need to be relevant to the consumer.”I got hands-on with the premium features
