FIFA World Cup Marketing Strategies Launched. Today: VISA

With the 2010 FIFA World Cup a few months away, companies have already begun targeting football (soccer) fans with their advertising, marketing and PR campaigns. A good example is Visa Europe, that released a new TV advertisement this February.

As expected, this campaign will run on all possible mediums, from television to wide screens and online. Visa has plans to rent store displays to encourage customers to use their Visa card at point of purchase, and those who do use their cards are eligible for a promotion where every purchase on their card could win a ticket for two for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

According to Visa’s official page of the campaign, this is their most integrated campaign to date with over 532 pieces of creative work delivered to the markets. The campaign is estimated to be seen or heard 2.2 billion times on media.

‘Life flows better with Visa’ was launched in March 2008 and it’s been VISA’s advertising slogan ever since. Two years later, their new spot, follows the same “flow” principle, only that this time, instead of a young man stranded in the desert after the ‘stag night’ before his wedding, the spot features a football fan’s journey to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. In the most amazing weight loss effort, this fan becomes a professional football (soccer) player and the metamorphosis is, naturally, powered by Visa.

Smart ad campaign – supported by VISA PR firms, including Brunswick Group, Edelman & Porter Novelli.