Cathay showcases the fighting spirit of 'giants of HK' at landmarks

Cathay Pacific has partnered with five Olympic champions to support the upcoming Olympics games, riding on the theme of its latest campaign featuring Hong Kong swimmer Siobhan Haughey.  

Don't miss: Cathay taps HK Olympic swimmer Siobhan Haughey as new brand ambassador

The idea of the partnership came from the belief that there are no shortcuts to reaching the world stage, only through constant struggle and effort can one achieve greatness - "Every move counts".  

As such, Cathay has partnered with five Olympic champions, including Haughey, Hong Kong fencer Cheung Ka Long, table tennis player Doo Hoi Kem, badminton players Tse Ying Suet and Tang Chun Man.  

Their larger-than-life images are shown across various landmarks in Hong Kong, from Admiralty to Quarry Bay, allowing everyone to witness their heroic struggles on the building exteriors and feel the athletes' unwavering determination to conquer the Olympic stage, step by step, as they transform into the "Giants of Hong Kong".  

Through different aerial perspectives and virtual outdoor projection technology, Cathay brings the athletes' moments of struggle to the bustling business districts. 

In a conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Edward Bell, general manager of brand, insights and marketing communications of Cathay, said, “As the long-standing partner of the SF&OC and the flagship carrier in Hong Kong, we wanted to build a sense of unity among Hongkongers and channel their cheers to support our home team athletes at the upcoming Olympics."

Developed with Publicis Groupe Hong Kong, Cathay used hyper realistic CGI to feature the athletes on iconic Hong Kong landmarks. "We are very thankful for the support of the property owner in enabling us to showcase our athletes in this way. This portrays the giants of Hong Kong as beacons of inspiration, encouraging locals to cheer on our Olympic champions and eliciting pride," Bell added.

In addition to cheering on the athletes, Cathay also aims to share the "Every move counts" spirit with every Hongkonger who is similarly striving, inspiring more people to join the cheering squad and collectively applaud the athletes. 

Furthermore, Cathay has especially opened the first "HKG - CDG cheering flight", calling on the entire city to check in. The flight will depart on the day of the Hong Kong athletes' first competition on 27 July to bring the city's energy and support to Paris to cheer on the Hong Kong athletes. 

Customers can use the Cathay mobile app to see the real-time check-in count and seat map of the "cheering flight" and use three cute cheering emojis - to cheer on the athletes. After selecting a seat, their cheering message will immediately appear on the seating plan.  

Bell said: "This builds on our 'Every move counts' campaign launched earlier this year to spread the Hong Kong spirit. To further catalyse support, we created a virtual flight as a medium for the city to send cheers. Users can check in their cheers and get a personalised boarding pass. The response has been phenomenal, with over 10,000 check-ins within 36 hours. As we send off our athletes to the Paris Olympics, we wish them all the best and continue to inspire the city with the ‘Every Move Counts’ spirit.”

Celebrities and KOLs including Jim Yan, Donald, and Serrini, are also invited to respond to the call to check in. After completing the check-in process, passengers will receive a boarding pass for the "HKG - CDG cheering flight“.

Customers who share the boarding pass on social media to rally more people to cheer for Hong Kong athletes, will get a chance to receive a limited edition "Cathay Olympic e-card".

Don't miss: Why a HK building featuring CG visuals of Cathay's campaign captures HKers' hearts

Back in May, a Hong Kong skyscraper featuring computer-generated visual creations of Cathay’s latest campaign “Every move counts” and the spirit of Hong Kong Olympic swimmer Siobhán Haughey, wowed many Hongkongers with large-scale visuals, turning the historic building into a new landmark of the city.

Explaining the insights behind the move, a Cathay spokesperson told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that the activation features hyper-realistic computer-generated creations simulating projection onto the curved features of The Henderson's façade in Central, creating powerful imagery at scale that ignite curiosity.   

Related articles:

Cathay Pacific dives deep into sustainability with creative woodcraft collection
Cathay Pacific's new brand campaign encourages passengers to 'get themselves moving'