StanChart taps HK influencers to gamify travel rewards

Standard Chartered Hong Kong has unveiled a campaign featuring local influencers Grace Chan and Torres Pit to highlight Cathay Mastercard’s unique travel privileges and miles-earning power.

Also known as "Standard Chartered Cathay Mastercard: Team up miles up", the campaign aims to accelerate new card acquisitions, encourage tier upgrades, while boosting acquisition through the enhanced member-get-member activation.

Running from 7 January 2026 to 15 March 2026, the campaign targets mass-affluent frequent travellers in Hong Kong including existing Standard Chartered Cathay Mastercard holders, miles enthusiasts, young parents, and premium lifestyle seekers who prioritise travel rewards and airport privileges.

In terms of marketing strategies, a spokesperson from Standard Chartered Hong Kong told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that the campaign rides on the success of its previous acquisition campaigns, which effectively utilised bottom-funnel tactics such as banners and link ads to drive conversions. "We have now evolved to a true full-funnel strategy. We created a rich mix of assets - cinematic thematic videos, bite-sized product-driven clips, and incentive-driven activations that cover awareness, education, and conversion in one seamless narrative."

Done in partnership with creative agency Narrow Door and media agency dentsu Hong Kong, the bank went beyond conventional celebrity endorsements by partnering with Chan and Pit as true creative collaborators, which were featured in a three-episode branded video series ("飛一般旅遊解密").

"Leveraging their established reputations as top-tier content creators, we co-developed original content tailored to their authentic styles and released it directly on their own channels. This approach fostered deeper engagement with their dedicated fanbases, significantly amplified reach, and delivered a more credible, entertaining, and impactful campaign than traditional scripted endorsements ever could," said the spokesperson.

Instead of one-way brand selling and relentless promotion, the spokesperson said the bank turned existing cardholders into enthusiastic ambassadors by transforming the campaign into a gamified, team-based referral mechanic. "Chan and Pit each captain a team of cardholders. Participants unlock boosted rewards by successfully referring friends, friendly competition, and organic viral spread. This playful approach naturally encourages consumers to become our most authentic and powerful advocates."

The new campaign is fundamentally social media-driven, leveraging dynamic, interactive formats to maximise engagement, virality, and performance optimisation across platforms. "We prioritise high impact digital channels while incorporating targeted traditional elements for broader reach. Key mediums include video series and talent-owned content: A three-episode branded video series distributed via YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram, complemented by original co-created content on endorsers' personal channels to tap into their authentic styles and loyal fanbases."

It is also amplified via interactive gamified elements including a dedicated chatbot which is integrated into the "Team up, miles up" referral mechanic, enabling real-time team joining and progress tracking to drive urgency and participation.

The campaign is also promoted via performance-optimised formats such as digital banners and targeted ads across social platforms to cover full-funnel goals from awareness to conversion, as well as earned and traditional media.

"As the best credit card product for travellers in Asia Pacific, the Standard Chartered Cathay Mastercard redefines aspirational travel. The Team up Miles up campaign leverages client engagement to enhance our referral programme, encouraging existing cardholders to recommend their favourite credit card to friends and family. By harnessing the power of word-of-mouth, this initiative not only aims to increase new sign-ups but also solidifies our position as the leader in the premium travel credit card market," said Anshul Sabherwal, head of credit cards and personal loans and payment, wealth and retail banking Hong Kong, Standard Chartered Hong Kong.

"This campaign represents a paradigm shift towards a content marketing strategy that leverages social media to create a viral effect. By collaborating with popular influencers, we craft compelling assets that vividly highlight the unique benefits of our cards. In parallel, our unconventional yet powerful member-get-member approach drives new acquisitions by turning satisfied cardholders into passionate advocates, while simultaneously enhancing customer engagement and loyalty. This effort exemplifies our dedication to customer-centric marketing strategies that deliver real value to our clients," said Haymans Fung, global head of wealth and retail bank marketing and head of wealth and retail bank marketing Hong Kong, Standard Chartered Hong Kong.

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