Turning local insights into intentional innovation
Meet Coco Wu from Huxly APAC
There’s something electric about the pace of change in the Asia-Pacific region, so when it comes to helping brands make an impact, there’s nothing like being on the ground, in the thick of it. That’s why, in September, we opened our first Huxly Asia office, right in the heart of Singapore.
Today, in the second of
our blogs introducing the APAC team, we’re talking to Coco Wu, Associate
Strategy Director, about her love of semiotics and her ambitions for Huxly…
Thanks, it’s great to be here. Right from the start of my career, I’ve been passionate about semiotics – decoding how meaning is shaped in culture – and I’ve found sensory semiotics especially fascinating. When I heard that Huxly was developing a sensory semiotics specialism here in Asia, I was genuinely excited to be part of it.
I love how Huxly is a collective of creative thinkers and innovators – people with a real talent for problem-solving. That immediately resonated with me and I’m looking forward to collaborating with such an exceptional team, in such a creative environment.
Sure. I started out at Kantar Consulting in Shanghai, where I worked as a cultural analyst, observing cultural shifts and reframing cultural narratives. The dynamism of the Chinese market was so appealing to me – change was happening so fast and constant innovation was the norm.
After 18 months, I relocated to Singapore to join a creative and cultural consultancy called Space Doctors. I spent four and a half years there as a semiotician, cultural analyst and creative thinker. It gave me extensive experience in cultural consultancy and semiotic analysis, across categories including beauty, FMCG, F&B, fashion, finance, automobile and tech.
From understanding creative expression in China’s Gen Z to exploring the concept of modern love on a global scale, I’m really lucky that my career has enabled me to immerse myself in such a fascinating cultural landscape – observing, decoding, analysing and transforming insights into meaningful and impactful commercial strategies for brands.
I’ve been part of so many great projects, but a few are really memorable. Working with a global skateboard fashion brand, I explored creative expression in China, which took me to the heart of the country’s creative scene. I interviewed DJs, skaters, fashion entrepreneurs and travel bloggers on the streets of Shanghai to gain insights into the cultural landscape, straight from the people shaping it. Those insights helped define the brand’s positioning in China, as well as making a significant impact at a global level.
I was also particularly proud to help a global wellbeing brand decode sexual wellbeing. I’d already written about it through academic semiotics as part of my Master’s thesis, so continuing this research in a commercial context felt especially meaningful. Sexuality is so often seen as taboo, and the project was all about demystifying it to uncover the underlying cultural truths.
Travelling to Mexico to take part in Semiofest was also a dream come true for me. It gave me the chance to meet fellow semioticians from around the world, learn from their perspectives, share my experiences of conducting semiotics in Asia and forge great new relationships.
Establishing a local presence is crucial to genuinely understanding and supporting clients, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. That’s exactly what I’ll be doing, along with our Strategy Director Harshita Mullick, as we build a talented team here.
It’s a part of the world that’s extraordinarily diverse – each country has its own distinctive history, cultural nuances and traditions, so growing a local network is so important. Creating that presence is something Huxly’s really committed to and that lines up with my own mission to deliver more authentic, insightful semiotic perspectives in the region.
Huxly’s already been working in the region for years, but putting people on the ground in Singapore – with the ability to work across Southeast Asia, China, South Korea, Australia and beyond – marks a real commitment to the region.
The world is changing so fast, with power and dynamics shifting at an unprecedented pace. In this post-modern era, amid so much uncertainty, it’s more important than ever to present authentic local cultural insights that really land with people – and strengthen brands. It’s something clients are increasingly looking for, as they want to make an impact on a local level.
The market is fiercely competitive and consumers’ attention spans are getting shorter and shorter, so it’s time for real breakthrough, irreplaceable innovation. The window for brands to make themselves memorable is shrinking rapidly and the pace of innovation here in Asia is faster than elsewhere, so brands have to work even harder to be truly irreplaceable. That’s where Huxly comes in, with the semiotic intelligence to help them cut through.
It’s got to be Sensational Thinking – a unique approach we’ve developed for digging deeper with consumer insights and revealing the needs and wants that people struggle to put into words. I love the double meaning we’ve built into it. We’re not just drawing profound insights from cultural learning, we’re also delivering truly sensational, transformative results that inspire brand growth and leave an irreplaceable impression. I think it’s going to make a huge difference.
As Associate Strategy Director, I’m already taking charge of projects from start to finish, making sure everything runs smoothly and our clients are genuinely delighted with what we do. I’ll be continuing to build those strong, honest relationships, staying a step ahead of what clients need, and offering advice that helps them stand out and grow.
At the heart of that, I’ll be driving sensory semiotics forward by giving clients fresh ways of working and made-to-measure solutions that really fit into their world and their goals. That includes sharing new ideas in sensory semiotics through the latest articles, presentations and insights – and mixing that with new trends, tech and culture changes.
We’re a small team here in Singapore, but we’re part of something much bigger, so Harshita and I will be working closely with different teams – locally, regionally and globally – to make sure our projects really connect with people and work well across the region. We’ll be teaming up with colleagues, sharing insights, offering support and making sure we all do our best work together.
So many things! I’m excited to keep pursuing my passion for semiotics and to introduce its value to even more brands. I love promoting its principles, empowering clients and colleagues to experience its benefits first-hand and demonstrating the commercial impact it can make. It’s a journey I really enjoy taking people on.
I’m also looking forward to collaborating with local teams to nurture authentic cultural perspectives and champion innovative thinking. I’m excited about using semiotics in new and inventive ways, creating fresh insights and tailoring strategies to suit clients’ unique needs.
It’s really rewarding to be that strategic partner for people, whether they’re clients or colleagues, building meaningful relationships that help them go out and make a real, lasting difference.
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Like to talk to to Huxly APAC team? You can get in touch with Coco at APAC@huxlyglobal.com, say hello in person in Singapore, or come along to her guest lecture at IIEX 2026 in Bangkok in February.
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