Background
For Chinese New Year 2023, the world’s most connected airport faced an unusually emotional moment.
After years of travel disruption, Chinese students, professionals, and families living abroad were finally able to reunite with loved ones back home. The theme of homecoming carried deep cultural weight – a universal desire to reconnect and celebrate after distance and separation.
To mark this return to travel, Heathrow Airport partnered with TONG Global to launch “Heathrow Takes You Home (希思罗带你回家)” – a campaign that positioned Heathrow as the warm, familiar bridge between global travellers and their loved ones.
Challenges
The end of China’s travel restrictions in early 2023 created both excitement and uncertainty. Many travellers felt emotional about flying home for the first time in years, while others were preparing to visit the UK for study or work.
Heathrow wanted to capture this rare cultural moment – celebrating the joy of reunion while reinforcing its role as the preferred airport for Chinese passengers connecting the UK and China.
The campaign needed to balance emotional storytelling with Heathrow’s functional strengths: convenience, premium service, and cultural understanding.
Strategy & Creative Concept
TONG’s insight was simple yet powerful: Airports are not just places of departure – they are symbols of reunion, anticipation, and belonging.
The creative idea, “Heathrow Takes You Home,” reflected that truth. It expressed both the emotional and literal journey of returning home for the Spring Festival, while underlining Heathrow’s role as the travel hub of choice for Chinese passengers.
The campaign was designed to speak directly to two audiences:
- Chinese travellers abroad (students, professionals, families) preparing to fly home; and
- Chinese audiences in China planning outbound journeys through London.
Creative Execution
Storytelling through Film
At the centre of the campaign was a short video series, written and directed by TONG. The videos captured the emotions of Chinese passengers travelling through Heathrow – excitement, nostalgia, and joy – reflecting shared cultural values of reunion and togetherness.
The tone was cinematic but intimate: real travellers, familiar rituals, and the quiet anticipation that defines the journey home for Spring Festival.
Influencer Collaboration
TONG partnered with a network of Chinese lifestyle and travel influencers, including overseas students and young professionals based in the UK. Their “day-in-the-life” content showed Heathrow through the eyes of Chinese travellers – from check-in to boarding, shopping to dining – turning everyday experiences into heartfelt stories.
By blending the influencers’ authenticity with Heathrow’s premium image, the campaign resonated across both emotional and practical dimensions.
Social & Paid Media
The campaign ran across RED (Xiaohongshu), WeChat, and Weibo, supported by tailored paid media to amplify reach and engagement.
- WeChat: articles and videos spotlighting Heathrow’s services for Chinese travellers.
- RED: influencer storytelling and cinematic video teasers.
- Weibo: paid amplification and festival greetings.
Creative assets used Heathrow’s signature purple tones and clean design language, adapted with subtle Lunar New Year motifs to balance celebration with sophistication.
Results
Performance & Reach
- The campaign achieved millions of impressions and hundreds of thousands of engagements across platforms during the CNY period.
- Positive sentiment surged, with travellers praising Heathrow’s emotional connection and cultural understanding.
Influencer Impact
- Featured videos amassed more than 3 million views and 200,000 engagements on RED and Douyin.
- Comments celebrated the campaign’s honesty and relatability, highlighting how Heathrow’s content “felt like home.”
Award Recognition
- Gold Award – TopDigital Awards 2023 (Best Short Video Campaign)
Impact
“Heathrow Takes You Home” marked a turning point in Heathrow’s storytelling approach. It demonstrated how empathy and cultural sensitivity could elevate an airport brand from a transit hub to an emotional companion on the traveller’s journey.
The campaign deepened Heathrow’s resonance among overseas Chinese communities, positioning it as a trusted, caring brand that understands what travel means – not just where it goes.
The success of this campaign laid the creative and emotional foundation for “Heathrow Together” (CNY 2024), evolving the narrative from individual homecomings to a broader celebration of connection and community.
Key Takeaway
In Chinese culture, returning home for the New Year is not just a journey – it’s a deeply emotional, nostalgic and transformative ritual.
By capturing that sentiment with authenticity and creative precision, TONG helped Heathrow express something truly human: the feeling that no matter where you are in the world, Heathrow will take you home.
