Pop Retail Enterprises

Every launch involved multiple stakeholders, fixed opening dates and detailed licensor approvals.

The businesses needed immediate awareness for new openings, but also sustained marketing activity between launches. Some venues were starting without established owned social channels.

Our role was to build a coordinated approach across the portfolio, use the available partnerships effectively and put meaningful measurement behind the marketing.

Earned media that reached the right audiences.

We developed launch narratives and pitched national, metropolitan, local and industry media. Coverage included Nine's Today, What's On Melbourne, Inside Retail, Secret Melbourne, Sitchu and specialist hospitality publications.

Shopping centre partnerships with measurable value.

We worked with centre marketing teams to secure and coordinate opportunities across social media, websites, newsletters, signage and digital channels.

Creators who could bring the experiences to life.

We identified and engaged creators suited to each licensed concept, building awareness through authentic content while the brands developed their owned audiences.

Campaign management and accountability.

We coordinated approvals, placements, partners and reporting across the portfolio. Every reportable placement was logged and measured against a consistent equivalent-media-value methodology.

Across the three licensed brands, five venues and four launches:

• $582,455 in equivalent media value

• 22.03 million in estimated cumulative reach

• 296 reportable placements

• 51 creators engaged, generating 143 posts

• 15 media outlets secured

• $0 paid media budget

The four launch campaigns alone accounted for $417,397 in equivalent media value and 111 placements.

One of the strongest moments was the ten-week pop-up at Melbourne Central. Nine's Today broadcast live from the venue, while a What's On Melbourne reel exceeded 4.1 million views.

The campaign generated 8.55 million in estimated reach across 38 placements.

The engagement extended well beyond launch publicity.

Darling Bloom worked with PRE to rework and market an underused dining experience, improving its proposition and visibility without discounting.

Between April and July 2026, monthly net revenue from that experience increased 467%, from $3,125 to $17,724.

Reservations increased 107%, while covers rose 129%.

Following the national television appearance, sales across the three-day period were 24% higher than the corresponding days a week earlier.

These trading results reflect the broader venue and marketing activity during the reporting periods, rather than revenue attributed exclusively to media coverage.

Alongside the campaigns, Darling Bloom helped PRE establish systems and channels that would support the business beyond individual launches.

This included launching owned social channels, improving local and tourism listings, developing customer email and loyalty initiatives, supporting booking and review processes, establishing monthly reporting and introducing practical AI tools for the team.

The outcome was more than a series of successful launches. It was a stronger marketing foundation for a growing multi-venue business.