SINGAPORE — Netflix is hunting for a new public relations agency for the Asia region, and has reached the final stages of a review, reports Mumbrella.

It is understood that the company is set to make a decision soon, after considering as many as six regional PR networks.

Publicis Groupe’s MSLGroup has handled the account globally since the network was hired in 2015, and now Netflix is said to be looking for a network to hone its messaging locally, according to sources familiar with the review.

The way Netflix’s marketing is structured, PR is managed separately to social media, which is run in Asia by Singapore-based The Secret Little Agency.

Running the process is Jessica Lee, who joined Netflix from McDonald’s China at the start of the year to lead the company’s communications for the region out of Singapore.

The winner will have a considerable task on their hands as Netflix looks to convert reasonably high brand awareness into subscribers, and convince consumers in this region that the service is a better bet than cheaper local rival OTT providers and hugely popular piracy sites.

Netflix launched in 130 markets at the same time at the start of the year, with the roll-out managed by MSL. But according to a YouGov survey conducted a month ago, 45% of consumers in this region are unaware of the launch. Of those who are aware, just a quarter said they plan to subscribe and 11% said they already have.

A recent study predicted that local-born OTT providers such as Malaysia’s Iflix, Viu of Hong Kong and Singapore’s HOOQ are more likely win out in Asia over the next three years, with the exception of Australia where Netflix is more likely to thrive with its focus of mainly American content.

Netflix’s share price fell by 15% in July when the company reported slower than expected subscriber growth at home and overseas. The company’s boss Reed Hastings had admitted three months prior that the high cost of licensing content, and a limited number of local language options, was limiting the company’s progress in Asia.