When brands expand into new markets, the instinct is often to build awareness: launch a local website, build a social media presence, engage influencers and run awareness campaigns. While these are essential, they don’t always address the real challenge. Sometimes the barrier isn’t awareness, but understanding what’s preventing consumers from buying in the first place.
This was exactly the challenge we encountered when HEC life+, a premium health and wellness retail concept by HEC Group – one of the world’s largest providers of Cordyceps sinensis (冬虫夏草) – prepared to enter Singapore. Backed by decades of research and an established retail network across China, the brand had built a strong reputation in its home market. However, success in one market doesn’t automatically translate to another.
Rather than assuming Singapore consumers needed the same messaging, we first sought to understand how they perceived Cordyceps and what influenced their purchase decisions.
Awareness Isn’t The Whole Picture
Through Mashwire’s consumer intelligence arm, 4Sights Intel, we combined consumer research with market analysis to understand how Singaporeans perceived Cordyceps and what influenced adoption. Rather than uncovering an awareness gap, we identified a disconnect between how consumers currently viewed the category and how HEC life+ champions science-backed solutions for everyday wellness.
Consumers were already familiar with the benefits of Cordyceps, yet many continued to associate it primarily with traditional Chinese medicine rather than as part of a modern everyday wellness routine. At the same time, questions remained around how to choose the right product and how to incorporate Cordyceps into daily life.
These insights highlighted an opportunity to make the category feel more accessible and relevant to modern lifestyles. By addressing common questions around product selection and everyday use, science-backed wellness could become easier for consumers to understand, relate to, and embrace.
Strategy Isn’t About Choosing Channels. It’s About Solving the Right Problem
Without these insights, we could have approached the launch as an awareness campaign. Instead, we designed an integrated strategy guided by one central insight: consumers didn't need more reasons to believe in Cordyceps - they needed the confidence to choose and use it.
The website became the foundation of that journey, guiding consumers through their discovery journey that answered the questions consumers naturally ask before purchasing: What makes this different? Is it safe? Which product is right for me? Social media content built familiarity through educational storytelling and practical wellness guidance to position HEC life+ as a trusted companion in modern wellness. Paid social campaigns extended the brand’s reach and amplified key launch messages, while creator partnerships brought the brand to life through authentic, first-hand immersive brand experience during the flagship store opening.
Rather than experiencing disconnected marketing activities, consumers encountered a consistent narrative throughout their journey - from discovering the brand online, to learning about its unique proposition, and finally experiencing HEC life+ in person. Every touchpoint reinforced the same objective: making a new wellness category feel approachable, trustworthy and relevant to everyday life.
The Bigger Lesson for Marketers
The launch of HEC life+ in Singapore extends far beyond a single brand launch - consumers rarely hesitate because they lack information. More often, they hesitate because something still feels uncertain.
That’s why strategy isn’t simply about deciding what channels to use or what messages to communicate. It’s about uncovering the barriers preventing people from taking action and designing every touchpoint to remove them.
At Mashwire, we believe every marketing challenge has two versions: the one clients bring to us, and the one consumers are actually experiencing. Our role is to bridge that gap through insight-led strategy that gives every creative decision a clear purpose. Because meaningful marketing doesn’t begin with campaigns, it begins with asking better questions.
Looking to Enter a New Market?
Every market has its own behaviours, beliefs and barriers to adoption. Before deciding what to say, it's worth understanding what your audience is really thinking. If you're looking to build a strategy grounded in consumer intelligence - not assumptions - we'd love to help. Get in touch with Mashwire to uncover the insights that shape smarter strategies and more meaningful marketing and let’s start with the right question.
September 2026
