In a plot twist worthy of a prime-time drama, robotic vacuum giant Ecovacs has reportedly shown the door to the very PR firm that helped make it a household name—proving once again that in public relations, you can lose your job for too little attention… or perhaps, too much of it.
The timing couldn’t be more curious. Just as Ecovacs rolled out its shiny new DEEBOT T80S OMNI this week, the company quietly parted ways with Closer Communications—the agency credited with turning the brand into Australia’s #1 robotic cleaning contender. From TV screens to glossy magazines and endless online features, Closer had been busy making sure Ecovacs product information was everywhere, (except, ironically, under your couch—where its vacuums thrive).
While Ecovacs remains tight-lipped about the breakup, industry insiders are raising eyebrows. After all, it’s not every day a company ditches the team that helped it dominate the local market—especially with rivals now circling like crumbs on a kitchen floor.
Karen Powell, Regional Director at Ecovacs, has yet to reveal who’s taking over the PR reins or why the change was made, leaving plenty of room for speculation (and a fair bit of gossip).
Meanwhile, in a twist that feels almost poetic, Closer Communications isn’t exactly sitting idle. Word is they’ve already been approached by two of Ecovacs’ competitors—and are in talks with a major Chinese brand keen to expand their presence in Australia.
In the fast-moving world of robot vacuums and even faster-moving PR decisions, one thing is clear: today’s clean sweep could be tomorrow’s messy fallout.