Visa Brings Checking Alternative to the Streets of New York
Visa is bringing its “Life Takes Recycling” TV spot to the streets of New York City next week to drive home a message that checkbooks are becoming obsolete.
Teams of break dancers will take morning commuters back in time 20 years on April 26, with performances of head spins and L-kicks. The stunts are a direct reference to Visa’s TV ad, as the dancers will join together to form a human “worm,” hoping to inspire passersby to think of creative uses for checkbooks they may no longer need to pay bills. In the spot, which has been airing since March, an illustrator turns his unused checkbook into a flip-book comic that features the antics of a worm who dances to 1980s hip-hop beats.
Similar teams will appear in Charlotte, NC, on May 3.
According to Visa, Americans paid $89 billion in household bills with a Visa card last year—up 25% from the same period the year before.
Online initiatives will support the street events as part of the company’s ongoing “Life Takes Visa” campaign, and focus on the artist behind the flipbook. A Q&A with animator Patrick Smith and targeted outreach to design, advertising, and music communities are planned to reach online audiences who are likely to be comfortable paying bills online.
