Page 61 - MA2025-Souvenir-Programme

Silver Award

“Nothing Beats Being There”
Cathay

After many glorious decades hosting the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens at the Hong Kong Stadium, the 2025 event was moved to the
new Kai Tak Stadium. To fans, it was met with mixed reactions and deep concerns.

As one of the prime sponsors, Cathay took on this challenge head-on. The brand tapped into a fan truth: a bigger and better sta-
dium means bigger and better fun and fanaticism. It’s the year you won’t want to miss, or else FOMO will take over. So “Nothing
Beats Being There” became the rally cry around the world and in Hong Kong, reminding people what makes the Hong Kong Sevens
great and how it’ll be even greater this year with Cathay’s involvement.

A witty global film, strategic partnerships, as well as high-impact media channels turned heads. Using first- and third-party data,
Cathay created personalised messages that enticed previous participants with the greater scale and energy that can be found here.
Cathay further fueled FOMO with continuous activations in and around the stadium. Most importantly, the brand created the
talk-of-the-town low-altitude fly past event that drew an additional thousands of locals to marvel at this stunt. It evoked collective
memory and generated global coverage.

This campaign not only led to the first event at the new venue to sell out. Cathay also recorded a 24% increase in overseas attend-
ees, an 88% rise in outbound package sales, and a 7% lift in brand preference. Moreover, sentiment around Cathay during the
weekend was overwhelmingly positive or neutral at 97.3%. The campaign was not only a great success but also reinforced a clear
message: Nothing Beats Being There.

Comments from the Judges:
It was celebrated as a triumphant showcase of purpose-led marketing that transcended brand boundaries to reignite Hong Kong’s
collective pride. More than a campaign, it became a defining Hong Kong moment — one that rekindled the city’s spirit, showcased
its vitality to the world, and reaffirmed Cathay’s stature as a symbol of Hong Kong’s confidence and connection to the skies.

The campaign stood out for its vision, precision, and audacity. By transforming a sporting sponsorship into a citywide celebration,
Cathay demonstrated how marketing can move beyond promotion to become inspiration. Every element — from its strategic
storytelling to its masterful coordination and world-class execution — reflected the brand’s leadership, discipline, and imagination.
The campaign captured not only the energy of the Rugby Sevens but the very heartbeat of Hong Kong.

Delivering sold-out attendance, record global coverage, and a surge in brand preference, “Nothing Beats Being There” stood as a
soaring success — an uplifting union of creativity and civic pride that reminded the world what Hong Kong stands for.

Parties to be Recognized for Contributing to the Success of the Programme:
1. Digitas Hong Kong
2. Leo Hong Kong
3. Luminous MSL Hong Kong
4. MSL Hong Kong

57
HKMA / VIUTV & NOW TV AWARDS FOR MARKETING EXCELLENCE 2025