Visa Unveils Innovative Tournament Activation Program with Interactive Fan Engagements and Seamless In-Stadium Technology to Connect Everyone to the 2014 FIFA World Cup

Visa Inc. (NYSE:V), the global leader in payments, and FIFA’s exclusive Financial Services partner for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™, today shared its global FIFA World Cup activation program, which will enhance the sporting experience for millions of fans, clients and partners in 104 countries worldwide.

 

Engaging film and print spots featuring Nobel Peace Laureates, alongside dynamic and interactive social engagement programs, and a seamless in-stadium payment technology experience, enables fans at the tournament, or anywhere in the world, to be part of the FIFA World Cup celebration.

 

“Our goal is to make it easy, engaging and relevant for everyone, everywhere, to connect to the FIFA World Cup and be part of the collective experience,” said Charlie Scharf, chief executive officer, Visa Inc. “From immersive fan engagement programs to innovative partnerships that help advance the next generation of payment technologies in Brazil, Visa is connecting more people than ever before with this momentous global event.”

 

Connecting World Cup Enthusiasts With Film and Print Featuring Nobel Peace Laureates

 

Visa is celebrating the FIFA World Cup through creative film and print advertisements that extend the reach of its new brand positioning, “Everywhere You Want to Be.”

 

Recognizing that the FIFA World Cup is an event that stirs national passions and unites people through their shared love of football, Visa created a series of commercials that underscore the notion that everyone, “everywhere” wants to be part of the tournament.

 

Debuting today, “United in Rivalry” depicts some of the world’s most prominent champions of peace – Nobel Peace Laureates – revealing their true competitive colors as they recall their favorite World Cup memories and discuss their country’s football rivals. Featuring Oscar Arias (Costa Rica, 1987 winner), Leymah Gbowee (Liberia, 2011 winner), Sir Bob Geldof (Ireland, 2006 nominee), David Trimble (Northern Ireland, 1998 winner) and Lech Walesa (Poland, 1983 winner), the spot explores the power of football to unite the world – in rivalry – for the five weeks of the FIFA World Cup.

 

“Rivalry was a fun theme to explore as part of our “Everywhere” campaign considering that everyone – even our most peaceful world leaders – wants to be part of the World Cup celebration,” said Antonio Lucio, chief brand officer, Visa Inc. “With this spot, we’re celebrating the one commonality we all have, despite our backgrounds, which is an unwavering passion for football.”

 

Other recently released commercials include “Restaurant” which stars former French player Zinedine Zidane, who finds himself accidentally watching the FIFA World Cup in enemy territory at an Italian restaurant and “Unlikely Fans,” which showcases how people from all corners of the world -rugby players, salsa dancers, fishermen, actors, Olympic athletes and physicists – are united in their passion for the game.

 

Visa also partnered with DreamWorks Animation, and Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products, to create print and digital media featuring characters from popular film and television properties such as Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar, Shrek and The Simpsons, which show how even animated characters want to be part of the FIFA World Cup.

 

Connecting Global Fans Through Unique Social Experiences

 

As the world turns its attention to the FIFA World Cup, Visa will use more than 60 videos along with interactive tools to engage with viewers, while also customizing content and programs based on individual interests and affinities. New capabilities offered by social media partners, including Facebook and Twitter, will enable Visa to more dynamically target and connect with fans, as tournament events and corresponding conversations unfold.

 

Available at www.worldcup.visa.com, Visa will allow fans to watch, learn, share and express their FIFA World Cup excitement in their own unique way with:

 

• Samba of the World – a first time program for Visa, this creative effort enlists the help of 32 global filmmakers, each representing one of the qualifying countries in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Each local artist created a 90-second film, using the same format and music track, to show how their country celebrates the World Cup. An interactive video player on Visa’s site allows fans to view and share all of the films – immersing themselves and their friends in the history, traditions and passions of each competing nation. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbcVgosgfo3rdXeq4pEmx4o8dwd8Am7r8

• Visa Fanbassadors – a group of 11 culture thought leaders and content creators from football passionate countries like Brazil, Mexico, Japan and the UK, will be embedded at the FIFA World Cup by Visa, to capture and curate fans’ most defining moments through video and photo content. Fans can experience and share this content through social channels across Visa’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/visa) and Twitter feed (@visa; www.twitter.com/visa).

• Visa Teletransporter –a fun, creative program that allows FIFA World Cup enthusiasts to transport themselves into the center of FIFA-inspired events. Fans simply insert their personal image into a series of videos that can be shared via social networks. Whether it’s enjoying a romantic dinner with former FIFA World Player of the Year and FIFA World Cup winner, Fabio Cannavaro, juggling a football with three-time FIFA World Player of the Year and FIFA World Cup winner, Zinedine Zidane, or scoring that one pivotal tournament goal -- fans can place themselves right at the scene. Throughout the tournament, Visa will release additional videos, drawing on memorable moments to further take fans where they want to be. Available at www.worldcup.visa.com/teletransporter.

• Visa Financial Football– In support of this year’s tournament, Visa launched a new FIFA World Cup-themed educational video game. By harnessing the passion for football and the World Cup, Visa has built a free, online game that helps teach the fundamentals of personal finance to students and adults around the globe. Coupled with a companion classroom curriculum, the game has been translated into more than a dozen languages in 30 countries. Having been played three million times to-date at www.FinancialFootball.com, this financial literacy tool has helped pioneer the field of personal finance gamification.

Connecting Spectators Through Onsite Payment Technologies

 

In Brazil, Visa is working with financial partner organizations and service providers to implement and manage the entire payment infrastructure throughout all 12 FIFA World Cup venues and the international broadcast center. This includes 3,000 contactless-enabled point-of-sale terminals and 75 Itau ATMs, in addition to the 1.4 million contactless payment terminals in Brazil -- the largest network of contactless terminals in the world.

 

Connecting Our Financial Partners and Their Clients

 

More than 500 banks, merchants and acquirers from 95 countries are leveraging Visa’s pass-through sponsorship rights by creating unique FIFA World Cup programs for their clients. Programs focus on driving usage, acquisition and loyalty, and feature Visa credit, debit, corporate, prepaid, payWave and Visa Signature products.

 

Visa’s Connection to FIFA

 

Visa’s FIFA sponsorship links the world’s leading payment brand, and football, the world’s most passionately followed sport, in a unique relationship that builds brand affinity, loyalty and preference for Visa, while enabling greater inclusion and active participation in FIFA World Cup events.

 

The partnership provides Visa with exclusive rights in the Financial Services product category for the FIFA World Cup™ and more than 40 other FIFA competitions that may be activated by financial institution clients and merchant partners. Only Visa-branded credit, debit and prepaid cards, along with cash, will be accepted for purchases at all FIFA venues.

 

A FIFA Partner since 2007, Visa announced an eight year renewal of its partnership in January 2014 in the Payment Services category, extending its rights through the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.