First VCCP campaign for Cathay Pacific eschews business class ‘corporate road warrior’
The Hong Kong-based airline Cathay Pacific has decided to tap into the ‘sensory’ world with the first major campaign by VCCP out of Singapore, stepping away from the norms of business class ads.
Designed to promote the premium passenger product, the work is titled ‘Let your senses guide you’ and maps out the sensory experiences customers can expect onboard. These are said to include trying new food, relaxation and “feeling the rush of exploring a completely different culture” – according to the airline.
The integrated campaign will run across digital, print and social media. Airline general manager of brand Edward Bell said: “This campaign is about how Cathay Pacific has moved beyond expectations to delight our customers with an enhanced business class offering that has been thoughtfully selected to create a holistic sensory experience.
“We believe each journey doesn’t just begin once you arrive at your destination. Instead, we feel the sensory experiences should be an intrinsic part of every aspect of the journey, right from the moment you step onboard.”
Explaining the approach to the work, VCCP Asia-Pacific executive creative director Andrew Hook added: “For this campaign, we set out to try to challenge the standard business class codes.
“Rather than focusing on the archetypal corporate road warrior, the sensory approach was designed as a fresh take on the category – bridging the experiences of both leisure and business travellers, while delivering on the new ‘Move Beyond’ brand promise.
“The Cathay Pacific team gave us a lot of room and support to create something really expansive and expressive for the brand, and we are very proud of the result.”
McCann Worldwide lost the lucrative Cathay Pacific account in 2018 after 25 years, with the airline switching to Publicis Group and VCCP for its creative, media and social capabilities. At the time, VCCP chief executive Cliff Hall claimed that the agency was “ready to challenge the market with them on their journey to becoming the world’s best airline”.
Credits
Executive creative director: Andrew Hook
Associate creative director: Shervin Seah
Copywriter: Dinah Amira Nordin
Art director: Drishti Khemani
Agency producer: Danli Lok
Photographer: Troy Goodall
Photographer’s agency: Frame by Frame
Media agency: Digitas
Production company: Collider
Director: Rob Stanton-Cook
Producer: Annie Schutt
Post-production/editor: Matt Osborne
Sound design: Gerard Fitzgerald (Song Zu)
Colourist: Ben Eagleton
Account team: Aanchal Sethi and Hannah James
Planning: Valerie Wang – Planning Director
Dean is the general manager at Mumbrella Asia. He is an experienced British journalist, who has worked in a number of international markets including Singapore, Australia, Dubai, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. As well as his media work, he is also a published academic.
This has all the allure of a product brochure…completely devoid
Replyof an idea. Wishing Hong Kong and cathay well.
So sour u. :p
ReplyAny airline ad that starts with the cliché ‘travel broadens the mind’ better have something mind blowing following….or else it’s a zzzzzzz….this looks like a script that wouldn’t make it for any premium airline offering.
ReplyNever did fancy CX biz class after all these years so am looking forward to what this actually entails or not
ReplyFirstly, it looks like a bad rip off from one of the Aman hotel spots. Secondly, I think they’ve confused the fact that “Business Class” passengers “usually” travel for Business and those romanticized, soft focus sequences are just off the mark. Any business traveller will look at this and go “I’d much prefer if CX has used the money they gave the agency, and ploughed it into actually enhancing a passenger’s experience”. Let your senses guide you? This isn’t a spa or a resort ad, and CX is currently selling business class seats for $2+k to HK and laid off over 150 pilots. WAKE UP and let common sense guide you. This isn’t Kansas anymore Toto (or VCCP).
Replyagreed. It’s a good campaign for an entirely different brand.
Would like to see the insight that said business class flyers are looking to feel “the rush of exploring a completely different culture”
The sensory experience guff is just nonsense. Ad agency wrapping paper.
ReplyThis feels like pretty standard airline destination stock imagery strung together around a plannerfesto. Pretty generic.
And while I don’t think this Turkish Airlines film is significantly better, it is certainly more dynamic, has the tagline “Go Beyond” and is three years old.
https://youtu.be/21gK3Ei62Vs
Surely an iconic Asian airline like Cathay deserves better than a recycled brand platform?
This is just depressingly mediocre.
ReplyMuch prefer the Turkish air version….better visuals and a clear understanding of how video is consumed on mobile. Unlike this one.
ReplyWho is going to listen to the VO drone on about nothing interesting?
Surprised Ed signed this off. If McCann did this, we’d be saying it was time for a new agency.
Authenticity is key. Sell what is real not what is imagined. This generic fall back into dull cliches that do not in any way resonate with the actual flying experience (regardless of how many different light moods the cabin has) is pretty awful.
The copy is also terrible
“Open your ears (what?!??)…and the mind will surely follow” – Good Lord, who approved this?
Reply[Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines] the copywriter, and everyone else who green lit this
ReplySo what is the selling point of the enhanced business class? “This is all where it begins” is such a weak sell. Any hotel or travel company can make that claim.
ReplyNew agency…[Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines] anchor client….can’t see them ever
pushing back. And even if they do, what will they say?
Based on my experience with (insert campaign name here) I advise you not to do this….clients only trust you when you have some sort of a [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines].
ReplyHave your say