The traditional Asian food industry is facing a dual transformation—cultural fusion and consumer upgrading. While traditional festive treats like mooncakes still carry strong ceremonial significance, they are encountering structural challenges such as “overly concentrated seasonality and short sales peaks.” Additionally, with the shift in young consumers’ eating habits and the rise of low-sugar, low-oil awareness, mooncakes are under increasing pressure to modernize in terms of taste, format, and communication language.
Why We Selected This Case
Against this backdrop, Maxim’s, one of Hong Kong’s largest and most representative catering groups, possesses a comprehensive product portfolio and proven cross-cultural management capabilities. According to public data, more than 50% of Maxim’s mooncake revenue is concentrated during the Mid-Autumn Festival period (July–September), and in Taiwan, over 80% of sales occur within the two months leading up to the festival. While Maxim’s already holds strong advantages in festive marketing and design, this time, by utilizing ADGo’s Market Intelligence Sweep, Integrated Marketing Creativity,, a series of actionable strategies were generated — transforming seasonal products into emotionally resonant daily treats and opening new pathways for year-round sales.
Market and Strategic Insights
01Market Intelligence Sweep
- Transforming from a “Festive Brand” to a “Lifestyle Brand”
Taiwanese consumers show strong loyalty toward traditional food brands, many of which hold deep cultural and emotional significance locally. For Maxim’s to further penetrate the market, it must go beyond its advantage in refined packaging by strengthening its own brand storytelling and cultural narrative. Positioning the brand as a “lifestyle brand” will be key to building a unique and enduring brand identity with long-term value.
- Consumers Expect Innovation, But Within Cultural Boundaries
Taiwanese consumers are open to innovation in flavor and packaging—provided it retains cultural relevance. Therefore, product design and marketing language should prioritize “cultural innovation” as a foundation, then gradually introduce “creative divergence” to gain market acceptance.
- Health Consciousness and Value-Based Consumption Coexist
In post-pandemic 2024, Taiwan’s FMCG market shows signs of polarization. While some consumers favor high-quality, low-additive formulations, others remain price-sensitive. To address this “barbell effect,” brands should develop lower-sugar, reduced-oil SKUs that meet health expectations while also offering targeted promotions to engage value-conscious segments.
04Integrated Marketing Creativity→ 08Marketing Concept Visuals
Through Integrated Marketing Creativity, we will craft a seamless journey that leverages content marketing (podcasts), experiential marketing (live events), social engagement (voice-print accumulation), and KOL influence to form a closed-loop pathway—from “ear to mouth,” “content to scene,” and “product to lifestyle.” By applying Market Intelligence Sweep insights, we can rapidly visualize these core ideas into tangible product contexts and emotional atmospheres, repositioning mooncakes not merely as seasonal gifts but as everyday ritual delicacies.
- 「點心時光聲活 Show」 — Maxim’s Podcast Campaign
In the era where everyone can tell their story through voice, Maxim’s launched its own podcast channel, 「點心時光聲活 Show」, inviting consumers to scan the exclusive QR code found in gift boxes and upload their personal dessert stories for a chance to be featured on SoundOn’s trending programs. The campaign also collaborates with popular podcasts to co-create “Shared Bites Specials,” where hosts enjoy Maxim’s desserts while sharing stories, sparking emotional resonance across social media. Each comment or share accumulates “Voice Impressions” that can be redeemed for exclusive gifts—linking the warmth of sound to the delight of dessert. From ear to mouth, Maxim’s uses voice to deliver happiness, letting everyone “share their dessert happiness with all of Taiwan.”
- 「月玩月派對」
Combining traditional Hong Kong techniques with Taiwanese ingredients, Maxim’s introduces a limited-time pop-up experience, 「月玩月派對」, themed “Mooncakes Are More Than Mid-Autumn.” The event creates a flavor-mixed dessert party featuring mooncake ice cream buckets, DIY molten custard tarts, and milk foam pairings. With interactive taste personality quizzes and a costume photobooth, the event turns traditional mooncakes into surprising highlights for young social gatherings. This pop-up repositions mooncakes as youthful, everyday, social treats, extending the ritual of the season into everyday moments of joy.
- 「輕心月」健康月餅
Maxim’s launches the Light Balance Lifestyle Campaign, a wellness-inspired KOL activation that blends mindful indulgence with urban calm. This city-exclusive event invites guests to enjoy low-sugar, high-fiber, guilt-free “Light Balance” mooncakes in unique flavors such as osmanthus tremella jelly, matcha tofu quinoa, and chia berry compote. Cold-brew pairings, guided breathing rituals, and a moonlight projection wall create a fully immersive five-sense experience. A limited-edition 「輕心儀式盒」—combining mooncake, aromatherapy, and music—is also offered, transforming the mooncake into a lifestyle offering for inner balance. KOLs will share their participation and support product giveaways to drive social amplification.
ADGo Execution Process
Breaking free from the seasonal limitations of traditional festive confectionery, the ADGo initiative transforms mooncakes from a once-a-year celebratory treat into an everyday emotional experience. From storytelling resonance to social gatherings, from wellness indulgence to immersive sensory journeys, ADGo’s culturally-driven marketing innovation not only enhances brand engagement across generations but also unlocks new possibilities for the modernization of the traditional food industry across Asia.