Social-first creative agency Kill Boring Dead (KBD) has launched its first campaign for Cathay Pacific since being appointed to the business earlier this year, as a creative partner for TikTok-native content, following a competitive pitch process.
The new campaign marks a deliberate shift away from traditional airline advertising, leaning instead into creator-led storytelling designed to feel native to TikTok and resonate with younger affluent travellers.
Built around the creative platform, “OMG, I’ve got to tell you about my flight,” the social-led campaign taps into a simple insight that when a flight experience exceeds expectations, people instinctively want to tell someone about it immediately.
Rather than relying on polished brand messaging or scripted talent, the work features nano creators and real Cathay Pacific travellers sharing authentic, first-person reactions via TikTok-native formats including FaceTime-style conversations, post-flight debriefs, direct-to-camera testimonials and at-home recaps.
KBD Co-Founder and CEO Marcus Willis said the campaign reflected a growing appetite for social creative that behaves more like culture than advertising.
Willis said: “Airlines have spent decades telling people their flights are amazing. We wanted to do the opposite: build something that lets real Cathay Pacific travellers tell their own flight stories, in their own words, the way people actually share them on TikTok.
“This is the kind of work we live for: brave, simple ideas that trust real people more than they trust polished advertising. That’s how brands actually move culture, not just buy attention in it,” Willis concluded.
Kelly Arnison, Travel Marketing Manager, Oceania, Cathay Pacific, said the campaign was designed to help the airline connect with a new generation of premium travellers in a more authentic and socially-native way.
“We know younger travellers are incredibly discerning when it comes to the content they engage with, particularly on platforms like TikTok,” Arnison said.
“KBD understood from the outset that this audience doesn’t want traditional airline advertising. They want to hear genuine experiences from real people in formats that feel honest, entertaining and relatable. The campaign captures the premium Cathay Pacific experience in a way that feels culturally relevant while staying true to our brand.”
Led from KBD’s Melbourne office, the campaign forms part of Cathay Pacific’s broader always-on paid social program spanning TikTok and Meta.
KBD’s remit includes creative strategy, creator management, content production, optimisation and ongoing creative testing. Spark Foundry manages paid media strategy, buying and performance reporting.
Agency Credits
Cathay Pacific
Kelly Arnison, Travel Marketing Manager, Oceania
Elizabeth Trevallion, Public Relations & Social Media Manager, Oceania
Melanie Fanos, Travel Marketing Executive, Oceania
Kill Boring Dead
Marcus Willis — CEO & Co-Founder
Jackson Springer — Head of Brand & Co-Founder
Rosie Brown — Head of Strategy
Ainslee Baruhas – Head of Client Partnerships
Orla Moffatt — Account Director
Shanice Leung — Experience Lead
Joey Do — Content Producer
Gelo Lasin — Social Media Executive
Edwin Grospe — Content Editor
Spark Foundry paid media strategy, buying and performance reporting
