Team Visa Athletes Join ParticipACTION to Celebrate Sports Day in Canada

During the month of September, as a sponsor of the second annual Sports Day in Canada, Visa spread a message showcasing the power and importance of sport participation. Working alongside integrated marketing agency TrojanOne, Visa developed a number of initiatives, using both online and print channels, to position Team Visa athletes as leading role models for physical activity during the national event, which took place on September 17.

Game Day

Sports Day in Canada on Saturday, September 17, was a national celebration of sport—from grassroots to high-performance levels—in communities across the country. Its vision was to reach out to all Canadians to build, solidify and celebrate the role of sport through a dynamic, energetic and influential movement that inspired Canadians to move more.

Presented by CBC Sports, Sports Radio-Canada, ParticipACTION and True Sport, Sports Day in Canada was guided by a committee of national sporting organizations and their networks of coaches, athletes and enthusiasts across the country. It was an opportunity for all Canadians to celebrate the power of sport; to build community, fortify national spirit and facilitate healthy, active living.

The Game Plan

Team Visa—whose members were selected for their dedication to sport and investment in their communities—was at the focus of the majority of marketing collateral developed and executed by TrojanOne and Visa for Sports Day in Canada. The athletes included: Nicole Forrester (athletics/high jump), Karen Furneaux (kayaking), Emilie Heymans (diving), Benoit Huot (paralympic swimming), Brian McKeever (para-nordic skiing) and Richard Peter (wheelchair basketball). The Team Visa athletes joined Sports Day in Canada events across the country to celebrate sport and showcase the power of sport at all levels in Canadian communities.

Digital media content featuring Team Visa was also prepared and distributed as part of the pre-Sports Day campaign. The creation of bilingual Team Visa videos ensured that all Canadians got the chance to learn about the event’s important message. Various blog posts from the athletes about their experiences with sport were promoted via social media, helping to elevate engagement with Canadians and promote the call to action. An online module developed for the National Post Sports section, featuring Team Visa and Sports Day in Canada, launched on September 3 and was live until September 17 in order to gain prolonged exposure for the cause.

Visa and TrojanOne also employed a variety of print tactics to help bring Sports Day in Canada to the attention of offline readers and further leverage the event. The September 10 edition of the National Post contained a full-page advertorial, the main focus of which was Team Visa. Sidebar content included a story discussing Jersey Day (held on September 16, with the goal of getting Canadians to wear their favourite sports team jersey), with a mention of Visa’s office-wide participation, while a 1/3-page advertisement featured Team Visa athletes.

A Perfect Match

The recent partnership further emphasizes Visa’s longstanding dedication to sport and Canada’s athletes. Visa understands that Canadian athletes need support throughout their journey to the Olympic and Paralympic Games, including years of training and preparation in between Games. For 25 years, Visa has sponsored the Olympic Games and provides valuable marketing exposure and financial support to Olympic and Paralympic athletes as they pursue their dreams of competing at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Leading up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Visa will support more than 50 individual athletes and national teams from more than 20 countries, including the United States, Canada, Brazil, United Kingdom, China, South Africa and Russia.