Visa TV Ad Highlights an Online Retail Partner

Visa U.S.A. launched its first TV commercial featuring
an online merchant in
its “It’s Everywhere You Want To Be” campaign.

Initially shown Nov. 1, on FOX during its football broadcast, the spot
highlights online toy retailer eToys as an online merchant that does not
accept American Express.

Created by BBDO New York, the eToys commercial illustrates the ease of
online shopping and Visa’s leadership role in the growing e-commerce
marketplace. Billings were not disclosed.

“Our relationship with eToys is one of several alliances Visa has forged in
the online universe,” said Liz Silver, senior vice president for advertising
at Visa U.S.A. “Using our highly recognizable and trusted brand name, we seek
partnerships with leading sites to reach the ever-growing number of current
and potential online consumers. The Visa brand on the Web acts as a seal of
approval to give first-time Internet consumers the security and peace of mind
to make online purchases.”

As with all of Visa’s partnerships, the company said, it developed an
integrated marketing program with eToys that combines advertising and
promotions. In addition to the new television and banner advertisements, Visa
and eToys are providing promotional support on each other’s Web sites and
through payment card statement inserts, and they plan a joint holiday-themed
cause-related promotion benefiting Toys for Tots.

“eToys is thrilled to have such extensive support from Visa, not only for what
it will do for our business, but also for online shopping in general,” said
Toby Lenk, CEO of Santa Monica, CA-based eToys. “Visa is enhancing overall
comfort with online shopping by extending to the virtual world the very same
conveniences and protections that Visa cardholders enjoy in the physical
world.”

Also upcoming are full-page eToys advertisements in USA Today,
The Wall Street
Journal, The New York Times and other major dailies.

Visa also plans to launch a national print campaign in mid-November
featuring several e-commerce alliances, including those with Yahoo! and Music Boulevard. These ads are scheduled
to appear in Time, Newsweek, People and a variety of
other news weeklies and
lifestyle publications.