Cathay Pacific is Keeping Chinese New Year All About Family

The airline’s short film takes a lighthearted look at family travel in honour of Chinese New Year.

Leo Burnett Hong Kong and Cathay Pacific break from Chinese New Year convention in their latest campaign. Instead of featuring traditional reunions or trips home for the holiday, the new short film takes us on a chaotic family trip complete with antics, misadventures and, ultimately, appreciation for each other.

“For this festive campaign, our light-hearted approach is based on empathetic insights, because at the end of the day, celebrating Chinese New Year, and maybe every other holiday, is about spending time with the loved ones you call family, and home is where the family is,” says Carol Lam, Leo Burnett Greater China president and chief creative officer.

The story opens with a young man praying at a temple: “Dear God, please take me back to Hong Kong right now,” a humorously tinged internal monologue moment soon overcome by the buzzing activity and commentary of family members around him. Over the next three and a half minutes, we follow the ups and downs of a family as they navigate intergenerational dynamics that feel unforgettably familiar. From arguments and eyerolls to moments of pure kindness and connection, it’s a heartening look at what it means to spend time with loved ones and greet the new year together.