Cathay's campaign shows 'nothing beats being there' at Hong Kong Sevens

Cathay has partnered with Publicis Groupe to show only the attendees of the upcoming Hong Kong Sevens will experience the real excitement, and a harmless fakery can come embarrassingly undone.

As the event’s co-title sponsor and official overseas travel partner, Cathay’s campaign aims to promote the event, held for the first time in the world-class Kai Tak Sports Park from 28 to 30 March 2025.

It is also inspired by the unmistakable feeling of ‘FOMO’ (fear of missing out) that anyone who misses out on attending the event will inevitably feel.

Also known as ‘Nothing beats being there’, the film stars Johnny, a rugby afficianado wannabe who pretends to be a fanatical rugby fan to impress his boss and potentially snag a trip with colleagues to Hong Kong.

He is ultimately exposed by his own web of lies, and his dreams of attending the 2025 Hong Kong Sevens are unfulfilled.

Building on Cathay’s long-running ‘Nobody does rugby like Hong Kong’ platform, The launch film will be supported with social and in-stadium activations and giveaways, locally in Hong Kong and globally, in the lead up to the next Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens.

To further enhance the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens experience for fans around the globe, Cathay will also offer a suite of flight, ticket and accommodation packages, which can be booked at Cathay.com.

Edward Bell, general manager of brand, insights, marketing at Cathay, explains: “Cathay has been a proud sponsor of the Hong Kong Sevens for over 40 years, and the move to Kai Tak Sports Park from Hong Kong Stadium is especially meaningful as Kai Tak was Cathay’s home for more than 40 years.”

“Everyone becomes fanatical about fun during the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, an event that attracts everyone from die-hard rugby fans to revellers enjoying the party atmosphere. Bigger than rugby, it is an all-consuming festival that no fun-loving person would want to miss, so we have created a campaign that shows nothing beats being there in person,” he added.

“We’ve all been there, pretending to know more about something than we actually do for fear of missing out. When Cathay challenged us to show that nothing beats being at the Sevens in person, we couldn't resist tapping into that FOMO feeling to show that nobody does rugby like Hong Kong," says Christopher Lee, chief creative officer at Publicis Groupe Hong Kong.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Publicis Groupe Hong Kong for more information.

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