Kill Boring Dead launches first campaign for Cathay Pacific with creator-led TikTok strategy

Melbourne. July 20, 2026: 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

Media

• Spark Foundry, paid media strategy, buying and performance reporting

About Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific is a world-class airline renowned for its premium service, refined luxury and extensive global network connecting travellers to major destinations across Asia, Europe, North America and beyond. It is consistently recognised as one of the world's leading airlines, ranked among the top three in Skytrax's 2025 World's Best Airlines and awarded World's Best Economy Class in both 2024 and 2025.

Media enquiries

Sandra Hogg, Mohr PR, +61 403 823 218