Marketing Report London 2012 - International Olympic Committee

88 Chapter Four / SPONSORSHIP
“We have sponsored the Olympic Games for more than 26
years because it drives our business. The association helps
increase brand equity, it helps clients and partners acquire new
customers, and it increases preference in our brand.”
Kevin Burke, Visa Inc. Chief Marketing Officer, Core Products
At the London 2012 Olympic Games, Visa was the exclusive payment services sponsor and the only
card accepted at the Games. London 2012 represented Visa’s most global and social activation since
becoming an Olympic Games sponsor 26 years ago.
Visa Marketing Campaign
Visa Inc.’s global Olympic marketing campaign – Go World – ran in more than 70 countries and
celebrated athleticism and human triumph through unique athlete stories. The campaign included
a robust social media platform, television and digital advertising, and usage promotions to connect
with cardholders and Olympic fans, driving preference for and usage of Visa products worldwide.
Visa utilised Facebook, YouTube and other popular social media platforms around the world to
encourage more than 60 million fans globally to submit virtual “cheers” for Team Visa athletes.
Visa Europe’s “Flow Faster” marketing campaign featured Innovation Ambassador Usain Bolt and
Team Visa Europe athletes in television, digital and outdoor advertising executions. The campaign
reflected the speed and ease of contactless and mobile payments, which were showcased across
London 2012 venues and enabled cardholders to experience a secure, reliable and fast payments
infrastructure. Bolt embodies speed, effortlessness and performance, and the ability to deliver on the
world’s biggest stage, making him a perfect fit alongside the rest of the Team Visa Europe athletes.
On-Site Operations
Visa implements and manages the payment system infrastructure and network throughout all
Olympic venues at every Games. London 2012 marked Visa’s largest host-market presence ever with
250,000 total point-of-sale pieces across 34 Olympic venues. Over 3,200 contactless enabled pointof-sale
devices were also available at merchants in Olympic Games venues. Visa also hosted eight
ATMs within the Games footprint and 11 Visa Customer Service Booths at various Olympic venues.