Hong Kong – Celebrating 50 years of the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens, Cathay has returned with the latest ‘Nobody Does Rugby Like Hong Kong’ campaign—showcasing how in Hong Kong, everything, even rugby, is taken a little too far.
Created in partnership with Leo Hong Kong, the campaign builds on the city’s reputation for doing nothing halfway. From a small fishing village to a global financial powerhouse, Hong Kong has also grown from having no rugby at all to becoming the heartbeat of the sport.
For this milestone year, Cathay tasked Leo Hong Kong with taking the long-running campaign to the next level. The agency explored whether Hong Kongers sometimes push things a little too far—and whether that drive is what has transformed the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Rugby Sevens from a sporting event into a global cultural phenomenon.
João Braga, Global Executive Creative Director at Publicis Groupe Hong Kong, explained, “We didn’t set out to make another rugby campaign, but to express a Hong Kong truth: the city doesn’t just host the sport; it pushes it over the edge. Just like it does to everything and everyone who passes through it. At 3am on a Tuesday, the city is just hitting its stride. We wanted this campaign to behave the same way: fast, loud, and impossible to ignore. If it feels a little excessive, that’s exactly the point.”
The campaign features a launch film starring a Sevens-obsessed coach whose fiery pep talks span the globe, rallying players and fans alike to embrace the tournament’s spirit.
The campaign began in December with a high-profile activation at Twickenham’s iconic The Scrummery, the historic pub near Twickenham Stadium known for its match-day parties. In a stealthy rebrand during the Autumn Internationals, the pub was temporarily renamed ‘The Hong Kong Scrummery’, signalling to UK fans that Hong Kong doesn’t just match their rugby passion—it amplifies it.
During match days, foot traffic reached up to 50,000, with Cathay saturating the venue with Sevens energy. From coasters featuring QR codes for early-bird discounts to boarding passes handed out to fans en route to the stadium, the activation successfully drove website traffic and package bookings.
Edward Bell, General Manager, Brand, Insights, and Marketing Communications at Cathay, said, “Cathay sponsored the very first Hong Kong Sevens tournament in 1976 and has been a travel partner and title sponsor ever since.” For decades, our brand has helped to build Hong Kong’s local rugby culture while flying in overseas fans to experience what’s become the biggest rugby party on the planet. ‘Nobody Does Rugby Like Hong Kong’ is as true as it ever was, but we’ve taken it to new heights for the tournament’s 50th anniversary.”
The Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens returns from 17–19 April 2026 at the world-class Kai Tak Sports Park. As co-title sponsor and official overseas travel partner, Cathay offers flight, ticket, and accommodation packages now available at Cathay.com.
