Go Fans Social Media Extension Aims to Enhance Fan’s FIFA World CupTM Experience
Visa Inc. (NYSE: V), a FIFA partner and the preferred card of the 2010 FIFA World Cupâ„¢, today announced the launch of the Visa Match Planner, a social media application that allows users to create customizable, dynamic FIFA World Cupâ„¢ viewing schedules to share with friends via social networking channels such as Facebook (US – www.visagofans.com). The Visa Match Planner is the latest extension of Visa’s first-ever global FIFA-themed marketing campaign, Go Fans, which also includes print, television and out-of-home advertising, host market merchant activation programs and usage promotions.
The Visa Match Planner will be available in English, Japanese, Spanish and Portuguese, and will be customized for each of the 32 qualified countries. In addition to building a customized FIFA World Cup™ match viewing schedule, the application also lets users organize match viewing parties, chat with friends, track scores and standings, and obtain exclusive offers from merchants such as the “FIFA Official Store†on FIFA.com.
“Football fans are undeniably passionate about the FIFA World Cupâ„¢ and the teams they follow and social media provides a unique platform to help them express their views and connect with friends from around the world,†said Antonio Lucio, Chief Marketing Officer of Visa Inc. “Through dynamic social media extensions of the Go Fans campaign, like the Visa Match Planner, Visa is able to strengthen our connection to the FIFA World Cupâ„¢ and enhance every fan’s World Cup experience with engaging content.â€
First debuted in Latin America in 2009 and later introduced globally in February 2010, the Go Fans campaign celebrates the common love that all fans have for football with creative executions, featuring the colors of the national flags of each of the 32 qualified countries, symbolizing the expression of each fan’s true colors and love of country. The campaign reinforces the ways that Visa enables fans to express their true colors in support of their teams by offering an easier way to pay, their Visa card.
Go Fans was developed to connect with football fans worldwide to drive preference for and usage of Visa products, promote Visa’s association with the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ and reinforce the ways in which Visa enhances the fan’s FIFA World Cup™ experience. Today, more than 90 markets throughout the world are activating Visa FIFA-themed marketing programs with more than 500 financial institutions and merchants via advertising, customized promotions and the development of marketing collateral (POS, signage and direct mail).
FIFA World Cup Sponsorship Activation
In the lead up to the FIFA World Cup, Visa provides financial institutions and merchant partners throughout the world with FIFA-themed creative and marketing materials to enhance their card-marketing efforts, help drive business and achieve corporate brand objectives.
Visa is one of six global FIFA partners with exclusive global category rights through 2014, and is the preferred card for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. In recognition of Visa’s sponsorship of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, Visa credit, debit and prepaid cards are the only payment cards accepted, along with cash, at all FIFA stadiums and the Onsite Stadium Merchandise Booths. The partnership provides Visa with global rights in the Financial Services product category to all FIFA World Cup™ activities, many of which may be activated by financial institution clients and merchant partners. Visa’s FIFA sponsorship includes the rights to the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, the FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011™ and the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™.
Visa cardholders are reminded to contact their issuing banks before leaving for South Africa to alert them of their travel plans and purchases in another country. This will ensure their banks will not temporarily freeze their accounts as an anti-fraud measure. Cardholders should also ask about daily withdrawal limits, ATM fees and emergency phone numbers. Travelers to the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ who do not have a Visa card should contact their banks or go to www.visa.com/globalgateway for additional information on how to obtain a Visa card in their country.
