On May 15, Cathay Pacific Airways began to tell the world about its new cabin designs that are taking the passenger inflight experience to new heights. An integrated marketing campaign has been launched in Hong Kong and key international markets to highlight the benefits offered by the innovative designs which, uniquely, are being installed into all three classes of travel at the same time.

From May 15 the public will be able to see newspaper and magazine adverts, a brand-new TV commercial, outdoor billboards and online banners highlighting the main features of the new First Class, Business Class and Economy Class cabins. There is also an innovative web-based element to the campaign, with an online virtual tour going into a level of detail never seen before and a flight simulator experience that leads the public into a competition to win simulator rides together with flight and hotel packages.

The print advertisements focus on the benefits of individual classes, assuring passengers that "your needs always come first". In First Class passengers can enjoy "just the right amount of personal attention, interaction and privacy", while in Business Class they'll find "a cosy retreat where one button takes you to a fully flat bed". In Economy Class, "a new shell seat protects your space, with entertainment on demand".

The new TV commercial focuses on the needs of the frequent business traveller. The commercial - directed by Laurence Dunmore, who helmed The Libertine with Johnny Depp, and photographed by Andrew Lesnie, who won an Oscar for his work on Lord of the Rings - was shot on location in downtown Sydney and sees a harassed businessman being chased by a mob of people all making demands on his time. He can escape it all only when he settles into his Cathay Pacific Business Class retreat.

Across the new marketing campaign, the public is invited to enjoy a virtual tour at www.cathaypacific.com/experience that goes into astonishing detail with the help of new technology called Papervision. As well as walking through the cabins, visitors can stop and enjoy all the features in each class, right down to watching movie trailers in the entertainment system that offers audio and visual on demand in all three cabins. Visitors can also take a virtual flight simulator ride, with real Cathay Pacific pilots at the controls and a choice of destinations in which to land.

Cathay Pacific General Manager Marketing James Ginns said: "With our new cabin designs we have something totally unique to advertise - three classes being rolled out at the same time - so we wanted a strong campaign with a stylish and contemporary look to reflect that. We will also use this campaign to build global awareness of the Cathay Pacific brand, highlighting the things our airline stands for such as the dynamic delivery of recognition to our passengers through our trademark Service Straight From the Heart."

The new cabin designs now feature on 23 Cathay Pacific aircraft flying on key routes to North America, Europe and Australia. The cabins are being retrofitted on Cathay Pacific's existing medium- and long-haul aircraft and will be fitted in all new additions to the passenger fleet. By 2012 the cabins will feature on a total of 86 aircraft.

Image 1: An online virtual tour at www.cathaypacific.com/experience guides visitors through each cabin in astonishing detail.

Image 2: Visitors to the "Experience" mini-site can enjoy a virtual simulator ride - and also have the chance to win a ride in a real simulator in Hong Kong.

Image 3: The TV commercial in the campaign - directed by Laurence Dunmore and photographed by Oscar-winner Andrew Lesnie - focuses on a harassed businessman who finds solace in the Cathay Pacific Business Class experience.

Image 4: The main print advert in Cathay Pacific's new marketing campaign highlights the key selling points of the new cabin designs in each class.