SKC Insights

The U.S. remains a top destination for Asian companies expanding globally. At the  Asia GO IPO Summit 2025, hundreds of private firms gathered to learn how to build brand visibility and investor confidence, showing strong appetite for the American market. Yet with its vast, competitive landscape, entering without a solid communications strategy is like running a marathon without shoes. Ambition may spur momentum but it simply isn’t enough to go the distance

Despite the immense business opportunity, communications and marketing strategies frequently trail behind. Launching into the American market risks being met with silence, missing the opportunity to build critical media relationships, or creating unrealistic expectations due to miscalculations of the  U.S. media landscape. These missteps, well documented by Forbes, in How Global Brands Can Avoid Cultural Missteps in New Markets, threaten even the most promising initiatives. These three often overlooked yet essential communications considerations can determine whether a new U.S. entry fades quickly or achieves launch success.

Tell a Story, Not Just a Press Release

Entering the U.S. market isn’t just about announcing your arrival. It’s about telling a story that resonates. Your company is nuanced, and so should be the narratives you tell. What makes your brand compelling and distinct? Do you have a viewpoint that contributes to your industry or current events? Are you solving a problem in a way that challenges convention or reframes expectations? 

SKC client AQT exemplifies this approach. Though previously unknown in the U.S., its products and clear storytelling spotlighting its MESP purifiers proven to kill 99.9% of COVID virus rapidly built credibility, earned media attention, and secured distributor interest within days. Stories rooted in vision and purpose can open doors to media and audiences, but only when anchored by clear messaging and a strategy that keeps the brand relevant.

Fame Is Fleeting: Your Communications Must Evolve

A one-hit wonder may work in music, but in business? It’s rarely enough. While Apple’s first iPhone launch is often cited as a masterclass, generating massive coverage and global buzz, it’s the exception, not the rule. For most brands, especially new entrants, success is built over time. And now that attention spans are shorter than ever, what worked at launch won’t sustain you.

SKC client STARLUX Airlines is a prime example. After their initial 2023 LAX launch, STARLUX kept delivering milestones, upping their momentum with new destinations, strategic partnerships, and ongoing media coverage, clearly demonstrating its commitment to the U.S. market. Your communications and marketing strategy must evolve alongside your company. That means investing in ongoing storytelling, thought leadership, and audience engagement. It’s not just about being seen but being remembered.

Cover the Basics and Be Launch Ready

Misunderstanding media expectations, like assuming a press release guarantees earned coverage, is a common pitfall. U.S. media values relevance, relationships, and resonance. Localization goes beyond language to include emotional and aspirational connections that speak specifically to American consumers. And in today’s global digital landscape, your communications strategy has to reflect borderless visibility. If your news matters regionally, adapt the messaging to fit their audience.

Before professing, the fundamentals must be flawless: a polished, localized website and materials that are clear, culturally relevant, and tailored to the U.S. Executing these basics, along with compelling storytelling, sets the foundation for real traction and ensures that content hits its mark. SKC’s work with Zepp Health is a case in point.

The partnership began by rolling out a unified messaging hierarchy across Zepp Health and its sub-brands–Amazfit, Zepp Clarity, and Zepp Aura–allowing each brand to shine individually while reinforcing the parent identity. This groundwork enabled faster launches and consistent narratives across channels, driving increased media traction, in top-tier outlets like Engadget and Yahoo! Health, stronger U.S. brand recognition, and standout coverage, including notable attention during CES.

At SKC, we’ve helped empower clients to launch and expand in the U.S. market with clarity, credibility, and momentum. Whether you're entering the market for the first time or building on existing visibility, the right communications foundation makes all the difference!

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