Visa Europe launches new ad campaign

Visa Europe is launching the second stage of its ‘life flows better with Visa’ campaign with a new advertising execution.

Launching on television across more than 200 channels on 1 March 2009, the ad captures an average day in the life of a man as he flows through his shopping trip using his Visa card for any type of purchase, big or small.

The ad features Bill Shannon, a dance and media artist who has developed a unique technique for dancing on crutches called the Shannon Technique. Bill was chosen to appear in the ad as he is a fantastic visual representation of flow.

At the beginning of the ad, Bill can be seen on a busy shopping street, moving on his crutches from shop to shop buying a variety of items such as a coffee and a jacket. In one scene, we see Bill freeze and yawn as he dances past a line of people queuing at an ATM. Bill’s final purchase is a skateboard which he then uses to ride off down the street.

Colin Clarke, Senior Vice President, Brand Management, Visa Europe, said: “We believe this ad shows how Visa helps consumers’ everyday lives run smoothly bringing to life the concept of ‘life flows better with Visa’.”

The campaign, which continues the ‘flow’ theme first seen in 2008’s ‘Running Man’ ad, is also running in Finland, Germany, Greece, Poland and Turkey.

Developed by Saatchi & Saatchi with media buying by Mediaedge:cia, the ad will run on TV for eight weeks. There will be a 60” and two 30” versions.

Visa is also launching a promotion which will run for six weeks from 6th April. The promotion gives Visa cardholders the chance, just by using their card, to win up to five prizes every day to help make their life flow better. The prizes include paying for your groceries for a month or petrol for a month with a pre-loaded Visa prepaid card. The creative, ‘life flows better when…’, reflects the key messages of convenience and security. This will be promoted on TV with a 10” tag within the 30” ad as well as radio, in-store and outdoor media.

Colin Clarke said: “This is the second stage of our flow campaign, following its successful launch last year featuring the ‘running man’ commercial. We believe this ad and the concept of flow will continue to engage our cardholders with the Visa brand.”

Kate Stanners, executive creative director from Saatchi and Saatchi, said: “We came across Bill Shannon a year ago and were impressed by the beauty he created with his movement whilst overcoming difficulty. It was inspirational and mesmerising. What he does in the ad is represent Visa and how it works – he is the perfect representation of flow.”

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NOTES FOR EDITORS

The ad was directed by Joey Garfield, who directed Bill Shannon in a music video RJD2. Music is Don Thomas ‘Come on Train’ – Ian Parton remix.

About Bill
Bill Shannon is a dance and media artist who has a bilateral hip deformity and has developed a way to express himself through movement on modified crutches, called the Shannon Technique.

Find out more about Bill here: www.whatiswhat.com

About Visa Europe 
In Europe, there are over 360 million Visa debit, credit and commercial cards. In the 12 months ending June 2008, those cards were used to make purchases and cash withdrawals to the value of over €1.3 trillion. 11.4% of consumer spending at point of sale in Europe is with a Visa card.

Visa Europe is owned and operated by its 4,600 European member banks and was incorporated in July 2004. In October 2007, Visa Europe became independent of the new global Visa Inc., with an exclusive, irrevocable and perpetual licence in Europe.

As a dedicated European payment system it is able to respond quickly to the specific market needs of European banks and their customers - cardholders and retailers - and to meet the European Commission’s objective to create a true internal market for payments.

Visa enjoys unsurpassed acceptance around the world. In addition, Visa/PLUS is one of the world’s largest global ATM networks, offering cash access in local currency in over 170 countries.