The new marketing campaign from Cathay Pacific is very interesting to me. Cathay is often regarded as one of the world’s best airlines already. But they wanted to up the ante. The new campaign features juxtaposed photographs of not-so-bad-lookin’ employees in “work mode” and then in “play mode”. I think this is Cathay cutting the bullshit and just saying, “Look, we got the hottest staff. You spend 12 hrs in the air with us and you never know what may happen!”
Their actual tagline for this campaign isn’t that are off though! “We got the extra mile to make you feel special.” (wink, wink) You be the judge. Is this “brand positioning” or “sex sells”?
Cathay Pacificの新しいマーケティングキャンペーンはとても興味深いです。Cathay社はもうすでに世界でもトップクラスの航空会社です。でも、さらに上を目指したいようです。その新しいキャンペーンでは外見のそう悪くない社員の「仕事モード」と「オフモード」の写真を並べるものです。これはCathay社が単刀直入に、「見て、弊社には美人スタッフがいます。空の上で12時間一緒に過ごせば、何が起こるかわからによ！」って言っているようです。
このキャンペーンの実際のタグラインも、そんな感じです！「私たちは、あなたを特別な存在と感じさせる、特別な何かを持っています。」（ウィンク、ウィンク）皆さん、ご判断してください。これは「ブランドポジショニング」でしょうか、それとも「性的な広告のほうが売れるから」でしょうか？
why’s it all ladies? where’s the eye candy for the women up in here?
…just saying. Equal opportunity and all.
I need to get on this airline!
Very Hong Kong concept indeed…
The line is “We go the extra mile…” not “We got…”
And the campaign includes men, as well.
maybe they are trying to humanize their staff, by showing that they too are real people outside of work. regardless, it comes off as “our staff is attractive, as if you needed another reason to fly with us.”
the pictures don’t really go along with the slogan, but whatever…these girls are hot.
To James D. — the line goes with the copy that goes with the staff; all you se here are photos. You can see all 101 staff and read their interviews on your computer at http://www.cathaypacific.aero/people. And you can download the free CX Mobile application for a variety of mobile devices and that has the “Meet the Team” minisite inside. I’ve got the app on my iPhone and it does everything that Flash does without using Flash. Very cool.
Does the print direct people to the micro site? I’m not sure how much i’m getting to know the people based on the two pictures, but it makes sense if the print directs you to the micro site where you read more about each person.
Not to play the devils advocate, but in all honesty, in Hong Kong and hopefully other places, the ads are placed everywhere with the intention of showing what their staff are like outside of work. But the way you’ve portrayed it on the blog, the ads are only comprised of the women that seem to be more objectified then anything else. The fact of the matter is the the ads had the male pilots, males stewards, and stewardesses. Isn’t this more belittling of the campaign more then a debate of “sex sells” vs “brand positioning?”
Sorry to be slow to answer, James. Yes, every print ad directs you to the website where there’s a “Meet the Team” button that takes you to this mini-site page: http://www.cathaypacific.aero/people
Each staff member has two photos and an interview of about 500 words. The people range from flight attendants to counter staff to behind-the-scenes staff. I find the 500-word format just right to keep you interested and give you some personal insight into the people you’re flying with. As I look at people I pass in the street or ride with on the underground, I wonder, “What’s their story?” On this website, you get to find out.