McCann Worldgroup go business class on another successful mission with Cathay Pacific
With so many new features in Cathay Pacific’s new Business Class the challenge for McCann Worldgroup Hong Kong was to introduce them all in an interesting and engaging way.
The solution the agency came up with was a spy story, with our hero getting his “new gadget introductions” via his phone from the top-secret tech designer back at headquarters. Before each trip, our hero listens to the latest mission data on the new features. There’s even the classic spy-who-knows-everything jumping ahead to play with the new gadgets – and the disembodied voice knowing he’ll do this and bringing him back in line.
Each spot promotes the more space, more privacy, centre seats for companions, larger-than-ever flat beds, and the ability to stream video from your personal device to the TV screen that is found in the new Business Class.
The campaign launched this month internationally, starting with Hong Kong, Asia, the Southwest Pacific and North America. It includes two 30-second TVCs and five 15-second spots shot by David Lodge from RSA Asia, plus print ads, outdoor installations, online banners, and a minisite with a simple yet surprising interactive seat guide that lets you know all you need to know about the seat and the new Business Class.
Incidentally, the site, soft-launched earlier in March, has already been awarded “Site of the Day” by the DesignLicks Awards.
“I’m delighted that the simplicity of the site caught the eye of the design community,” said Thierry Halbroth, Executive Creative Director of the McCann Cathay Pacific Central Team. “It shows that even a simple thing like an instruction manual can be turned into something attractive, engaging and effective.”
“Award-winning photographer Pete Seaward shot the print ads with a minimalist feel that let consumers focus on the seat – much like they would on a beautiful piece of design. We wanted to do justice to the product, leveraging its fantastic design by treating it like a piece of design instead of just another Business Class seat,” said Halbroth.
“Then we deployed the design approach across multiple touch points, including domination of bus shelters in Hong Kong, a minisite, and an update to the widely successful CX Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android so that people can take a closer look at the seat before their own mission.
“We all have a little secret agent in us – and none of us ever reads the instructions for anything – so we combined these two insights into a series of commercials that have a little fun with what could otherwise be an ordinary product ad. Add some caring flight attendants and an obviousjet-set lifestyle and you have a licence to entertain,” said Halbroth.
CREDITS
Agency: McCann Worldgroup – Cathay Pacific Central Team
Client: Cathay Pacific Airways
Executive Creative Director: Thierry Halbroth
Associate Creative Director: Anita Ng
Art Director: Kato Tsang
Head of English Copy: Don Ellis
Copywriter: Vivian Yong
Executive Producer: Ida Man
Assistant Producer: Chung Yau
Digital Art Director: Alex Lai
Programming:Jeff Lam
3D Rendering: Eric Klein & Alexey Meerov @ Teague
Production House: RSA Asia
Director: David Lodge
Executive Producers: John Payne/Marco Leung/Garfield Kempton
DOP: OceanicChan
Post Production: Digit Digit
Editor: Adrian Brady @ Touches
Sound: Eric Lo @ Touches
Music: Pete Millward @ Drum Music
Photography: Pete Seaward
Producer: Mark Cuming
Retouching: Bon Leung Limited