Visa Social Media Channels Help Extend Reach of Go Fans Campaign
6/29/2010
SAN FRANCISCO, Jun 29, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) --
Visa Inc. (NYSE: V), a FIFA partner, announced today a series of digital successes from the company's first-ever global FIFA-themed marketing campaign - Go Fans, which celebrates the common love that all fans have for soccer. Visa is using popular social media channels - YouTube and Facebook - to connect with soccer fans worldwide and in the first few weeks of the tournament has exceeded early expectations. With the help of popular fan- and celebrity-submitted goooal shout videos, including those from Steve Nash (NBA star, Canada), Cafu (former soccer player, Brazil) and Andres Cantor (sportscaster, Argentina), the Go Fans YouTube channel has attracted more than 5.6 million video views to date, while the company's first FIFA social media application, the Visa Match Planner, has been downloaded by more than 53,000 fans for the Facebook platform.
Drawing nearly 800,000 views in the lead up to the FIFA World Cup(TM) alone, the Go Fans YouTube channel enables soccer fans to express their true colors in support of their national teams by viewing, uploading and sharing videos capturing creative, entertaining, passionate or humorous goal calls. Today, Americans account for the largest viewership at 1,665,218 video views, while Mexico and Brazil trail slightly at 1,524,209 and 1,295,921, respectively. In the competition for most viewed goooal shout video, Cafu currently holds the title with 1,077,107 views, followed by Nash with 647,100 views and Australian fan "Bazza" at 416,846 views.
"We're extremely pleased with the fans' response and interest in our social media extensions, which were developed to provide them with an outlet to express their passion for their teams and the FIFA World Cup," said Kevin Burke, Head of Global Marketing and Strategy, Visa. "Social media is an integral component of every campaign we undertake, but this kind of early response truly demonstrates the power of the medium - not to mention the unique passion that fans have for the sport of soccer."
To drive additional interest, Visa is holding a promotion on the YouTube channel throughout the duration of the FIFA World Cup(TM) (June 1 - July 11) in which viewers will receive an opportunity to enter the Visa Watch your Way to Brazil Sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip to the 2014 FIFA World Cup(TM) in Brazil each time they find a goal call video with a golden tint treatment. In addition to the grand prize trip, fans will have the chance to win weekly prizes including $100 Visa gift cards. No purchase or obligation necessary to enter or win.
Visa launched the Visa Match Planner in May to allow fans to create customizable, dynamic FIFA World Cup(TM) viewing schedules to share with friends via social networking channels such as Facebook. Available in English, Japanese, Spanish and Portuguese, and be customized for each of the 32 qualified countries, the Visa Match Planner 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.
Visa is one of six global FIFA partners with exclusive global category rights through 2014, and is the exclusive card for the 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM). In recognition of Visa's sponsorship of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa(TM), Visa credit, debit and prepaid cards are the only payment cards accepted, along with cash, at all FIFA stadiums and Onsite Stadium Merchandise Booths. The partnership provides Visa with global rights in the Financial Services product category to all FIFA World Cup(TM) activities that 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(TM), the FIFA Women's World Cup Germany 2011(TM) and the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil(TM).
Editors Note
To view and download Go Fans creative, Visa FIFA-themed images and assets, visit https://www.thenewsmarket.com/visa or https://www.visa.com/fifamediakit. To view Goooal videos and enter theVisaWatch your Way to Brazil Sweepstakes, visit https://www.youtube.com/visagofans.
-->About Visa
Visa is a global payments technology company that connects consumers, businesses, financial institutions and governments in more than 200 countries and territories to fast, secure and reliable digital currency. Underpinning digital currency is one of the world's most advanced processing networks--VisaNet--that is capable of handling more than 10,000 transactions a second, with fraud protection for consumers and guaranteed payment for merchants. Visa is not a bank and does not issue cards, extend credit or set rates and fees for consumers. Visa's innovations, however, enable its financial institution customers to offer consumers more choices: pay now with debit, ahead of time with prepaid or later with credit products. For more information, visit https://www.corporate.visa.com.
SOURCE: Visa Inc.
Media Contacts:
Visa Inc.
Nancy Panter, 650-432-1454
Mobile: +27 83 257 0999
[email protected]
or
Fleishman-Hillard
Dianna Mangiantini, 415-318-4182
[email protected]