Cathay Unveils ‘Song of Cathay’, its New Sonic Branding that Captures the Love for Travel and Aviation

The new song deepens Cathay’s emotional connection with customers and extends its purpose to move people forward in life

Cathay is excited to announce the launch of its new sonic branding, Song of Cathay — an uplifting, inspirational and journey-like musical composition designed to forge deeper ties with customers and create an auditory expression of its purpose to move people forward in life.

Adding a new dimension to Cathay’s already established brand identity, Song of Cathay draws inspiration from its heritage as a leading airline and travel brand. The musical composition, instrumentation and arrangements come together to captivate customers by evoking fond memories of travel, capturing the spirit of adventure, and exuding the warm sense of hospitality that embodies every journey flown with Cathay Pacific.

Customers can experience the new soundtrack designed by sonic branding agency Sixième Son through a wide range of touchpoints. Song of Cathay will be progressively rolled out and played in Cathay Pacific’s lounges and aircraft, in the Cathay Shop at Cityplaza, and on Cathay’s mobile apps, global contact centre hotlines and Spotify playlists, creating a holistic brand experience whenever customers engage with Cathay.

To celebrate the launch, Cathay collaborated with the Asian Youth Orchestra to bring Song of Cathay to life. The orchestra recorded the new sonic identity at its Rehearsal Camp in Tianjin last month and debuted it during its concert “Celebrating 34 Years of Excellence” at Hong Kong City Hall on 3 August as part of its Asian Concert Tour. Cathay has long been a supporter of youth development, arts and culture in Hong Kong, and has been a sponsor of the Asian Youth Orchestra since its inception in 1990. 

The Asian Youth Orchestra debuted the new sonic identity, Song of Cathay, during its concert “Celebrating 34 Years of Excellence” at Hong Kong City Hall on 3 August as part of its Asian Concert Tour. 

Customers can experience Song of Cathay  through a wide range of touchpoints, including in Cathay Pacific's lounges and aircraft, inviting customers to embark on a beautiful journey. 

Cathay Group Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau said: “It has always been our mission to connect and move people forward in life through the Cathay experience. Song of Cathay is an audio representation of not just who we are as a brand, but also the journey we have been on and are moving towards. Our longstanding support for Hong Kong’s development of youth, arts and culture is also vividly captured in the tune, which seeks to inspire communities, ignite creativity and add to the vibrant fabric of our city.”

Cathay General Manager of Brand, Insights and Marketing Communications Edward Bell said: “Music is a unifying language that brings people together by transcending cultures and boundaries. We have put a great deal of thought and effort into bringing our sonic branding vision to life, and we hope this distinct tune will strike a resonant chord with our customers from all around the world, forming a new and crucial component of the Cathay identity while building upon our ‘Move Beyond’ spirit.”

Sixieme Son Global Managing Director Laurent Cochini said: “With this sonic identity, Cathay conjures an extraordinarily imaginary world and the promise of a beautiful journey. Song of Cathay is a poetic burst that embraces the brand's strong roots and international vocation, conveying its leadership, expertise, passion, and commitment. Conceived as a timeless waltz, the piece is a musical odyssey that tells the brand’s ambition to move people emotionally and forward.”

To listen to Song of Cathay as well as the creation process, please visit Cathay’s website: https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_HK/about-us/cathay-stories.html