Zlatan Takes The Visa ‘Z’ Train En Route To 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia
Monday, May 14, 2018 at 01:08PM NYSJ Sports-Entertainment Business News Service
May 12, 2018: This has been a busy year for Zlatan Ibrahimović.
In March, the 36-year-old striker, who during 15 years as a member of Sweden’s National Team scored 62 goals in 116 games, joined MLS’ Los Angeles Galaxy following a storied career that has included 33 trophies playing for nine teams across England, France, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and now the U.S.
In April, Ibrahimović signed a deal with Visa, the official payment Services partner of FIFA, to appear in marketing for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, which begins next month.
Now, Visa has unveiled details for its World Cup activation, “Visa’s Ultimate FIFA World Cup FOMO,” which will document Zlatan’s journey to the tournament and his return to the FIFA World Cup stage, not as a player but as a Madison Avenue personality.
Social media tags for the campaign already include “Team ViZa” and “Everywhere Z wants to be.”
Zlatan joins a Team Visa roster of global social media influencers, including from Germany (freekickerz), Japan (Kotaro Tokuda), Mexico (Pamela Allier), United Kingdom (Chris MD) and Russia (Tatiana Vasilieva).
He himself has more than 60 million followers on social media, including Instagram (31.5 million followers), Facebook (26.3 million) and Twitter (5 million).
“I have been telling the world that I will be at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia — Visa is now helping me and fans around the world get in on the action,” Ibrahimović said in a statement.
“Visa is innovative. Zlatan is innovative. Together, we are helping fans not miss a moment of the FIFA World Cup.”
Developed globally and shot in the U.K., “Visa’s Ultimate FIFA World Cup FOMO” features a combination of “more than 20 hero and social films” and includes TV, digital, video, social, print and out of home.
The lead spot, "Zlatan Returns To The World Cup," comes complete with a Zlatan bobblehead and a voiceover from Visa spokesman Morgan Freeman, who says after Zlatan gets on a bus to being his World Cup journey, “No one wants to miss the FIFA World Cup. As an official sponsor, Visa make sure you never have to.”
The tone of Visa’s effort with Ibrahimović was set in the teaser spot, "Welcome to the Visa Family," in which he appears to be standing at the front of a media conference holding a soccer jersey with the word Visa on the front.
He then puts it down and picks up another, in which the Visa “S” has been replaced with a “Z” to read, “ViZa.”
“Zlatanised,” he says.
According to Lynne Biggar, chief marketing and communications officer, for Visa Inc., “Visa is committed to enhancing the fan experience at sporting venues around the world and FIFA World Cup is no exception.
“Our FIFA World Cup™ campaign is focused on helping football fans across the globe not miss a moment of the action, whether that is by implementing innovative new ways to pay in-stadium or by giving fans at home a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the tournament.”
Among Ibrahimović’s other marketing deals are Samsung, Vitamin Well water, gaming firm Bethard, his own line of underwear (A-Z by Zlatan), Zlatan Perfumes and Zlatan Legends intergalactic arcade game for Apple devices.
FIFA partners include adidas, Coca-Cola, Wanda, Gazprom, Hyundai-Kia Motors, Qatar Airways and Visa.
World Cup
Zlatanised: Ibrahimović Puts The ‘Z’ Into Visa's Multi-Media World Cup Marketing
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