Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens Archives

Hong Kong – Cathay has unveiled its latest campaign for the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, capturing the inevitable FOMO that awaits anyone missing out on next year’s highly anticipated event.

Titled ‘Nothing Beats Being There,’ the campaign film follows Johnny, a wannabe rugby aficionado who fakes enthusiasm to impress his boss and score a trip to Hong Kong. His plan ultimately unravels, and his dream of attending the 2025 Hong Kong Sevens slips away.

The campaign reveals that only those who experience the Hong Kong Sevens firsthand know the real excitement—and that a little harmless fakery can backfire in embarrassing ways.

“We’ve all been there, pretending to know more about something than we actually do for fear of missing out. When Cathay challenged us to show that nothing beats being at the Sevens in person, we couldn’t resist tapping into that FOMO feeling to show that nobody does rugby like Hong Kong,” said Christopher Lee, chief creative officer at Publicis Groupe Hong Kong.

Featuring nail-biting matches, wild costumes, and non-stop fun, the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens is the city’s ultimate party, growing bigger and better each year.

As co-title sponsor and official overseas travel partner, Cathay is dedicated to enhancing the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens experience for fans worldwide, offering exclusive flight, ticket, and accommodation packages available at Cathay.com.

Next year also marks a milestone for the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, as it will debut at the world-class Kai Tak Sports Park, solidifying Hong Kong’s status as a premier destination for major international events.

Edward Bell, general manager of brand, insights, and marketing at Cathay, explained, “Cathay has been a proud sponsor of the Hong Kong Sevens for over 40 years, and the move to Kai Tak Sports Park from Hong Kong Stadium is especially meaningful as Kai Tak was Cathay’s home for more than 40 years.”

“Everyone becomes fanatical about fun during the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, an event that attracts everyone from die-hard rugby fans to revellers enjoying the party atmosphere. Better than rugby, it is an all-consuming festival that no fun-loving person would want to miss, so we have created a campaign that shows nothing beats being there in person,” Bell added.

Cathay’s ‘Nothing Beats Being There’ campaign expands on its long-standing ‘Nobody Does Rugby Like Hong Kong’ platform. The launch film will be accompanied by social media activations, in-stadium promotions, and giveaways both in Hong Kong and globally, leading up to the next Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens at Kai Tak Stadium from March 28-30, 2025.

Hong Kong – International airline carrier Cathay Pacific has partnered with Publicis Groupe Hong Kong to launch a new campaign promoting the upcoming Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens event.

Titled ‘That’s What We Call A Seven’, the campaign features a film that documents the life of Eric. Eric starts to rate his everyday experiences and realises that nothing has lived up to the exhilaration he once felt at the Hong Kong Sevens and that life hasn’t been the same ever since.

The Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens is one of Asia’s most popular annual sporting events and the world’s first truly global rugby tournament. With nail-biting matches, the event is always expected to be a costume-crazed, fun-filled spectacle, with every year being bigger than the last.

This year, with Cathay being one of the event’s co-title sponsors and official overseas travel partner, the airline is committed to delivering a world-class rugby festival. Cathay promises an enhanced Sevens experience for fans around the globe by offering a suite of flight, ticket, and accommodation packages.

As part of the promotions, the campaign will also extend to out-of-home advertising, social, and in-stadium activations and giveaways.

The local activations transform the idea of the campaign film into an actual rating system. People can rate the people, places, or experiences that they feel also achieve a perfect ‘7’ by collecting and giving out Cathay’s series of collectible badges. Each badge is inspired by the most captivating aspects of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Sevens.

Edward Bell, general manager of brand, insights, and marketing at Cathay, said, “We loved the idea of playfully reminding people of how epic the Hong Kong Sevens are—so epic, everything else in life, big or small, pales in comparison. From Cathay’s in-flight hospitality to the spectacle of the stadium and the tournament’s world-class rugby warriors, each element comes together to create a perfect score. Now that’s what we call a seven.”

Meanwhile, Christopher Lee, executive creative director at Publicis Groupe Hong Kong, shared, “It’s human nature to rate stuff, which gave us a funny thought: what if coming to Hong Kong to watch the Rugby Sevens could ruin all other experiences for you? If you ask us Hong Kongers, no other event can rival its greatness; it’s a perfect 7 out of 7.”