Dive Brief:

• Visa has big marketing plans around the upcoming Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 including an interactive shopping platform and sensory branding at point-of-sale payment-enabled devices, according to two company press releases. Visa is the official payment technology partner of the games.
• The interactive shopping experience includes a dedicated e-commerce section on NBC’s Olympics website where customers can use Visa Checkout to expedite purchases, and the platform will be integrated into NBC’s on-air prompts and digital channels with the e-commerce platform updated in real-time featuring apparel for sale being worn at the time by athletes such as during the opening ceremony or while standing on the medal podium.
• The point-of-sale sensory branding elements include sound, animation and haptic (vibration) cues to signify completed transactions in both digital and physical retail. The effort will debut in Visa’s global advertising campaign ahead of the Olympic Winter Games. 

Dive Insight:

The Olympics typically serve as an important marketing opportunity for sponsors as it is both a global event and a cultural sports touchstone that draws a wide audience. Visa is using the platform to introduce and highlight the latest in payment tech.

The e-commerce integration with the NBC Olympics website is interesting as it requires coordination between the broadcast itself, including what the athletes shown on screen are wearing, with this information tied to real-time on-air and digital prompts to purchase items on the e-commerce platform. This is the first time NBC will direct viewers to purchase from the Team USA Shop, where Visa is the preferred payment method, during the broadcast, according to the release. 

“We are committed to making the at-home viewing experience as engaging for fans as possible,” said Dan Lovinger, EVP, ad sales and sales marketing at NBC Sports Group, in a statement. “Incorporating a retail component into our broadcast is just another way fans can bring the games into their home and support their favorite athletes.”

Visa is also supporting new payment technology for attendees of the games via wearable payment devices including payment-enabled gloves which allow users to pay with a tap at contactless-enabled terminals.

The sensory branding initiative, which will continue beyond the Olympics, is based on Visa research, with 83% of global respondents saying sound or animation cues positively impacted their perception of the Visa brand, 81% reporting they would have a more positive perception of merchants using sound or animation cues and that the sound of a Visa transaction being completed in less than a second conveyed “speed and convenience,” per the release. Additionally, Visa found that haptic technology can incite a feeling of happiness and excitement in consumers.