Cathay and WKCDA unveil 'Spirit of Hong Kong' art livery

Cathay and the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA) have joined forces to unveil a new art-focused aircraft livery, named "Spirit of Hong Kong – 80th Anniversary Edition".

The collaboration marks a significant milestone for two of Hong Kong's most recognised homegrown brands, underscoring their shared commitment to supporting local cultural creativity and elevating the city's arts and culture on the global stage. The partnership will run for two years, untill 2028.

In a conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, a spokesperson from Cathay said this initiative embodies the complementary strengths of its cultural and commercial sectors: supporting Hong Kong's role as a centre for cultural exchange while showcasing Cathay's important role as a leading international aviation and logistics hub based in Hong Kong.

"Through this platform, Cathay can further support the development of youth, sport, arts and culture in Hong Kong, while bringing art from around the world to the city to inspire the next generation’s creativity and vitality. This collaboration also engages global audiences, promotes local and international arts and culture, and reinforces Hong Kong’s status as a creative and culturally vibrant metropolis, strengthening our contribution to Hong Kong society."

Serving as a centrepiece of Cathay's 80th anniversary celebrations, the new livery brings together WestK's brand vision - "Where art comes alive"—with Cathay's dedication to creating elevated and meaningful customer experiences under its "Move beyond" ethos.

The Boeing 777-300ER aircraft is adorned with a design inspired by Cathay's "Gallery in the Sky" concept featured in its business class cabins. The livery prominently displays both Cathay's "80 Years Together" anniversary mark and the WestK logo, symbolising a shared mission to showcase the essence of Hong Kong's arts and culture to destinations around the world.

The aircraft features an innovative artwork by Hong Kong multimedia artist Victor Wong, who used technology that generates landscapes from geographical data he provides. Showcasing WestK's artistic vision, the livery transforms the aircraft into a flying canvas that carries people, cultures, and ideas forward while bringing fresh inspiration to the city.

The new livery was officially unveiled at a ceremony on Monday (8 March) at Hong Kong International Airport, with the aircraft entering service the following day. Passengers can immerse themselves in a unique cultural experience upon boarding, including a newly reimagined rendition of Cathay's sonic branding, Song of Cathay, performed by Hong Kong pianist, composer, arranger and music producer Patrick Lui.

It incorporates elements of modern jazz, offering travellers a refreshing and culturally rich prelude to their journey. The reimagined Song of Cathay will be available on specific Cathay Pacific passenger flights from mid-2026.

The spokesperson said the campaign amplifies global reach through integrated storytelling across media, social and in-flight touchpoints, including Gallery in the Skies, the "WestK in the Sky" IFE video series, and a reimagined Song of Cathay, reinforcing Cathay and WestK's shared long-term commitment to advancing Hong Kong's arts, culture and creative industries on the global stage.

"We have been promoting the Spirit of Hong Kong through owned, earned, and paid media, supported by a media launch event and an inaugural-flight passenger event. Spirit of Hong Kong's merchandises are also available for purchase on Cathay Shop. Additional partner promotions include global online sales offers, such as bundled museum-ticket giveaways through our digital sales platform and Cathay Holidays," added the spokesperson.

Ronald Lam, Cathay Group chief executive officer, said, "For eight decades, Cathay has grown alongside Hong Kong. As we mark '80 Years Together' with our home city, we are honouring our heritage with the return of our classic 'lettuce leaf sandwich' livery on our Airbus A350 and Boeing 747 aircraft, while also embracing the future with a vibrant modern art livery on our Boeing 777-300ER aircraft."

"In partnership with WKCDA and through 'The Spirit of Hong Kong' livery, we aim to support outstanding local artistic creativity and showcase the unique culture and spirit of Hong Kong to audiences around the world. Through our investment of well over HK$100 billion into our fleet, cabin products, lounges and digital innovation, we will continue to win hearts and strengthen Hong Kong's status as a leading international aviation hub—moving our city, customers and team forward together," Lam added.

Bernard Chan, chairman of the board of the WKCDA, said, "As one of the world’s leading cultural arts hubs, WestK has strived to expand its network of partnerships, implementing its dual 'bringing in' and 'going global' strategies to foster Hong Kong’s development into an east-meets-west centre for international cultural exchange."

"Since 2023, Cathay has served as WestK's Travel Partner, supporting our exhibitions, performing arts programmes and cultural events. The launch of the Spirit of Hong Kong livery highlights our shared vision to support Hong Kong’s outstanding artists and creations and to bring Hong Kong’s arts, culture, and creative prowess onto the global stage. Spirit of Hong Kong embodies WestK's vision of transcending boundaries and connecting the world, inviting travellers from across the globe to immerse themselves in Hong Kong’s profound cultural heritage and boundless creative spirit," Chan added.

This initiative comes as part of Cathay's 80th anniversary celebration. Earlier this year, Cathay relaunched its iconic retro "lettuce leaf sandwich" liveries on an Airbus A350. Themed "80 years together“, Cathay aims to celebrate its legacy of advancing its home city and connecting people and global customers since 1946.

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