How did this work? Did you get sent an email and were you already a Marco Polo member that credited those flights to your account?
Only AM sign-up and fly in 16 months for around EUR 7K. Got an email with the MP Gold offer, after flying 3 returns and one outbound AMS-HKG-BKK in J (effective I). And TBH, one more return purchased at that moment.
What might have helped is, I made a positive cabin crew recommendation on the last outbound (although that only got acknowledged a month after flying the inbound).
And what might have helped, is that none of the Gold perks would be applicable for me. So, effectively the only costs for Cathay would be sending the badges......