INTERNATIONAL: A progressive approach wins for McCann

<p>Despite not being fully appreciated in its own hometown of Hong </p><p>Kong, Cathay Pacific is deemed a world-class airline by any </p><p>standards. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Its ultimate goal, however, is to be the world's most admired </p><p>airline. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The total campaign strategy devised by McCann-Erickson is based on the </p><p>word "progressive". </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The communication strategy focuses on how progressive Cathay Pacific is </p><p>in all its areas of operation - having the youngest fleet of aircraft, </p><p>an award-winning lounge at Chek Lap Kok, innovative inflight </p><p>entertainment, and so on. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The logic was being progressive in everything it does would give </p><p>passengers, other airlines, the media and Hong Kong people real reasons </p><p>to admire Cathay Pacific. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>This strategy drove the media idea (progressive = innovation). </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The media challenge then became finding a way to achieve the necessary </p><p>cut-through on a tight budget, when the traditional approach was to </p><p>dominate on size. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The decision was made to communicate in a relevant way how progressive </p><p>Cathay Pacific is. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Multiple executions, each with a specific product attribute, were </p><p>created to communicate the overall strategy. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The media strategy </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The overriding decision on specific media strategies and tactics was </p><p>based on the need to connect with key constituencies in relevant </p><p>dayparts, while they were in a relevant mindset. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>A number of Universal McCann proprietary tools were used to highlight </p><p>intersecting moments between media consumption, consumer mindset and </p><p>daypart. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Multiple media vehicles were necessary to deliver the reach required to </p><p>launch the campaign, but tonnage alone would not deliver the desired </p><p>effect. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Universal McCann therefore had to innovate to cut through the myriad of </p><p>clutter in both the media it needed to use, and in the market in </p><p>general. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Media selected included television, print, transit media and </p><p>outdoor. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>McCann also had to push the limits of very conservative media </p><p>owners. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The core to its negotiation was the desire to drive progressiveness and </p><p>innovation in every phase of the campaign. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>At least one new media idea was the goal in each phase. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>In the period from launch in August to October 2000, Universal McCann </p><p>claimed to have achieved a number of firsts in Hong Kong and Asian </p><p>media: </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>- First to place posters the full length of the MTR travellator, which </p><p>is also the longest indoor ad in Hong Kong history; </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>- First to place an advertisement (die-cut) across the middle of a front </p><p>page of a daily newspaper; </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>- First to use three vertical column strip ads on a single spread; </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>- First to use four corner ads; </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>- First to use border ads in the daily press; </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>- First to use centre and top banners with die-cut ads; </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>- First to use customised weather page ads in an English-language </p><p>newspaper; </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>- First to use New World Powerphones, an innovative/interactive </p><p>phone. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>These 'firsts' were surrounded by traditional executions in media that </p><p>provided the necessary weight to provide a solid communication </p><p>platform. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>* This issue, the ongoing National Geographic Showcase series features </p><p>material from one of the Certificate of Excellence winners in the Best </p><p>Use of Media category in MEDIA's Agency of the Year Awards 2000. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>