Visa Uses Flickr, Live Video in Global 'Go' Campaign

Visa is launching its first global advertising campaign, an effort that includes an interactive microsite, rich media banner ads with live video feeds of people enjoying themselves in six major cities, and Google Maps-based ads featuring merchants close to a viewer.

The “Go” campaign, jointly created by AKQA and TBWAChiatDay, includes a microsite with a “Gosaic,” a collection images submitted by people through Flickr, statistics representing popular interests and activities across the world, and recommendations about various experiences worthy trying. Additionally, there will be more than 200 merchant offers for users to review and redeem by using their Visa cards and these will be delivered “based on user preference and time of day.”

Visa said the use of a single campaign on a global basis reflects Visa’s “evolution to a single, global company,” and will also save money by consolidating marketing functions and reducing fees and production expenses.

Bob Pullum, group creative director for AKQA , said of the banner creative, “We kind of leveraged the Web dynamics to hit people up with spontaneous ideas of things to go and do.” For example, a banner might suggest a viewer grab a mid-afternoon cup of coffee and give directions to a nearby coffee shop.

“We offered a chance for people to submit images to a Flickr group,” he added. “We’re having people submit images of everyday things like going to a park with the kids. This is a campaign about going and doing and not necessarily about going around the world. You can go and do things right in your own community.”

TBWA created the offline campaign while AKQA is handling all the digital work.

In the U.S., television advertising will entail two national TV spots premiering on “American Idol.” International marketing will launch with regionally-customized TV spots named “Gofesto” that will show people in different places having good times. A series of print ads focusing on the Visa Check Card are also planned.