Visa will launch a U.S.-based marketing campaign focused on the USWNT ahead of the World CupGETTY IMAGES
U.S. Soccer and Visa have signed a five-year deal that will provide increased investment around both the USMNT and USWNT. The deal was facilitated by SUM and fills a category that had been vacant for U.S. Soccer. The payment tech brand will launch a U.S.-based marketing campaign focused on the USWNT ahead of next month's FIFA Women’s World Cup in France. A new ad focuses on USWNT stars Mallory Pugh, Becky Sauerbrunn, Rose Lavelle, Jessica McDonald, Abby Dahlkemper and Adrianna Franch. Visa also will become presenting partner of the SheBelieves Cup -- a four-team women’s international event that started in ’15 and is played in the U.S. The brand earlier this month launched a new global campaign dubbed “One Moment,” which concentrates on female empowerment and acceptance. That effort features a series of short personal documentaries around Visa ambassadors Lucy Bronze (Great Britain), Kim Little (Scotland) and Nadia Nadim (Denmark) (Austin Karp, THE DAILY). FORBES' Robert Kidd reports while Visa is not disclosing financial terms of the deal, it is ensuring that "'at least 50%' of the investment would fund the USWNT and women's soccer programs." Visa also announced that USWNT F Megan Rapinoe has signed as an endorser for the company and that it will be the "first brand partner of the Player of the Match" at the Women's World Cup (FORBES.com, 5/30).
DREAM MACHINE: ADWEEK's David Cohen reported Nike last Friday promoted the USWNT by "displaying their names, photos and game highlights" on 16 screens throughout Times Square. The team was in town for a match on Sunday at Red Bull Arena, and all 23 team members "arrived in Times Square via a double-decker bus branded with Nike's 'Dream With US' message." Nike "shared social assets" of the visit on its @NikeNYC Twitter handle. The company prior to last Friday also "took over billboards" in other parts of N.Y. and other cities across the country (ADWEEK.com, 5/29).
