Cathay Pacific hands global digital account to DigitasLBi

Cathay Pacific has named DigitasLBi as its global digital agency of record following a competitive pitch, which involved with six agencies including Sapient and AKQA. The three to five years contract will see DigitasLBi tasked to overhaul Cathay Pacific's global digital strategy, as well as relaunching its multiplatform ecommerce offering. The agency will also assume responsibility for elements of Cathay Pacific’s online communications in key international territories.Meanwhile, Cathay Pacific's long term partner McCann's role remains unchanged. Laurent Ezekiel, client services director of DigitasLBi Global, told Marketing they will relocate a blended teams of DigitasLBi seniors from London, Boston, Sydney, Singapore to Hong Kong as a base to serve the new account. "Mobile is a big part in this partnership. We will be responsible for Cathay's web and mobile optimisations, including user experience, e-commerce, creative and functionality on the two main platforms."He said the airline will be their flagship strategic partner in Asia Pacific and a bedrock client for their Hong Kong hub. "We’re thrilled to be building a blended, international team that will work with Cathay Pacific in both Hong Kong and London to help transform its digital business," he added. Catherine Hornby, digital retail manager at Cathay Pacific, said: “We needed a strategic partner with creative flair and the practical know how to help us bring our vision to market. "In catering to a global audience, having a partner with a comprehensive geographic footprint that allows us to draw on expertise from all over the world, will be invaluable in helping us reimagine our digital customer proposition," she added.