Recent advertisement for Visa - what a joke

[DooMAD]

I don't watch much TV on the TV itself nowadays, so I don't know if anyone has been talking about this ad or not:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbvl60_CZl8

"What a load of bullshit", I found myself saying aloud after witnessing that for the first time.  How can it be working for everyone when so many people in the world are unbanked?  And how much of the wording in that was deliberately chosen to mirror the kinds of things we say about Bitcoin?  It feels very much like a pre-emptive first strike on their part, possibly demonstrating some insecurities about the threat their business model now faces.

Anyone else get the sense they had crypto in mind when they wrote the script for it?

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[blckhawk]

I stopped watching at 20 second mark, I've seen what I need to see, they're deceiving people by letting them think that their company is more than just a bunch of credit card which is in fact it really is. Man that's a bit egotistical and ballsy of them to say that they're a signature.

[LeGaulois]

True for the unbanked but even if they are they can still own a card.
Can't really blame VISA if some persons can't have a bank account. It's like Nokia's slogan 2 decades ago: "Connecting people" How does it do if people don't have a phone.

Don't forget the DNA of Visa is born in the banking system. What to expect? It was originally created by Bank of America and called the card BankAmericard. They only changed the name to be spread worldwide.

We have to admit that Visa provides us with many more solutions than in our grandparents' time.

Anyone else get the sense they had crypto in mind when they wrote the script for it?

I didn't to be honest

[Coyster]

Anyone else get the sense they had crypto in mind when they wrote the script for it?

They possibly could have, Visa was actually called a network in this advert, something like the Bitcoin/crypto network, but we all know Visa is not actually that, I think this advert portray and presents the erroneous view that Visa effortlessly connects people from all over the world like the Bitcoin network does, you may be correct as this could have emanated out of a 'subtle' feeling of competition between their form of business and decentralized crypto, but then again, it's people who do not really do their research into how things actually work that would believe what was said.

[avikz]

I don't watch much TV on the TV itself nowadays, so I don't know if anyone has been talking about this ad or not:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbvl60_CZl8

"What a load of bullshit", I found myself saying aloud after witnessing that for the first time.  How can it be working for everyone when so many people in the world are unbanked?  And how much of the wording in that was deliberately chosen to mirror the kinds of things we say about Bitcoin?  It feels very much like a pre-emptive first strike on their part, possibly demonstrating some insecurities about the threat their business model now faces.

Anyone else get the sense they had crypto in mind when they wrote the script for it?

Lol! I too sense the insecurities they are facing from the emergence of cryptocurrency. I wouldn't blame the script writer because the brief of the content was provided by the marketing team. So the sense of insecurity has reached to the higher level executives.

But don't take everything too literally. If I keep the crypto part aside, I must say the advertising is great from branding perspective. We just need to replace Visa with Bitcoin. Can anyone with knowledge of video editing do that for us?

[o_e_l_e_o]

"A network working for everyone." Unless you say or do anything we don't like, in which case we will suspend your payments, freeze your transactions, and close your account. Just like we did with Wikileaks. Or with Pornhub. Just play by our rules, let us monitor your every move, pay us a ridiculous percentage for the privilege, and you'll be just fine.

I've never thought of Visa as a network which is "fighting to connect people" or any other marketing nonsense, and I'm pretty sure no one else has either. It is a credit card provider and a payment processor. I'm inclined to agree that them attempting to rebrand themselves using so many buzzwords of things which bitcoin actually does better is a bit suspicious.

[Shenzou]

I don't watch much TV on the TV itself nowadays, so I don't know if anyone has been talking about this ad or not:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbvl60_CZl8

"What a load of bullshit", I found myself saying aloud after witnessing that for the first time.  How can it be working for everyone when so many people in the world are unbanked?  And how much of the wording in that was deliberately chosen to mirror the kinds of things we say about Bitcoin?  It feels very much like a pre-emptive first strike on their part, possibly demonstrating some insecurities about the threat their business model now faces.

Anyone else get the sense they had crypto in mind when they wrote the script for it?

Yeah i closed the video as soon as they said its more than a credit card, first of all i used to use it before when i went on a trip and every time the transaction either don't go or they bug out that is why no one is using it anymore, and i think that is why they are advertising if they were smart enough they would start accepting or using crypto and that might get some people to be interested in using their system.

[jackg]

I think it's just the push to decentralisation/spreading out of people and the economy a bit. If they're attracting a young audience, showing a remote cabin on a mountain to someone who's surrounded by people (especially during a pandemic) might be sending them a message they can relate to...

With that, I think a lot of online firms (especially small ones) are using companies like PayPal and bank transfers though for cheaper fees. Visa are also losing market dominance afaik too so that might also be pushing them to this.

Tapping a card or putting its pin in, intentionally, IS a signature on a contract. It's why the machine tells you how much you owe them and you confirm it by tapping your card. It obligates the seller and visa on the other end though who "sign" a contract when sending or processing the payment.

[The Sceptical Chymist]

Anyone else get the sense they had crypto in mind when they wrote the script for it?

Nah, I didn't get that impression at all.  That advertisement seemed more like a display of "diversity" (kind of like all of the left-wing shit I see everywhere) and social networking than trying to ape what crypto is all about.  In the end Visa is what it's always been, and I'm not even sure why they need to advertise.  It's not like people want to go get a Visa card after seeing a crappy advertisement like this one.

If I'm not mistaken, Visa was interested in bitcoin in the early days but nothing ever came of it.  I still don't see any connection between the two in that ad, though.

I think it's just the push to decentralisation/spreading out of people and the economy a bit. If they're attracting a young audience, showing a remote cabin on a mountain to someone who's surrounded by people (especially during a pandemic) might be sending them a message they can relate to...

Except there's no decentralization there, just a showcase of different colors of people--which is what Visa thinks those young people want to see, and it's pandering if you ask me.

[Darker45]

Well, it's just probably how marketing is done. But just like in majority of ads, you could always argue with their claims and taglines. You cannot expect these companies to be brutally honest in their promotions. Otherwise, Visa might end up saying, "Meet Visa. A network exclusively working for the banked."

To be honest, though, I notice that Bitcoin supporters have also been claiming more than what Bitcoin could provide. They, too, have their own share of this. They claim, for example, that Bitcoin addresses the problem of the world's unbanked population. Well, I should also say many of the unbanked are technologically-illiterate, poor, beyond the reach of electricity, don't have access to internet, and so on.

[bittraffic]

They are rebranding themselves and make it look like they are part of the big network used by everyone.
You have to understand that they are going to be losing their relevance in finance if they are not going to be doing that.  They are going to struggle with so much to compete with which they know there are more people who are unbanked than the number of people using them before blockchain. It's not just going to be Visa later, it's a struggle for existence.

[bitcub]

I am not a pro VISA creditcard, but I think thats the message they want to implant on people's mind. They are orienting people that no matter where you are, you can use VISA card. In the next decade it is not surprising that every people could have a crypto wallet and visa. Everything is possible.

I don't watch much TV on the TV itself nowadays, so I don't know if anyone has been talking about this ad or not:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbvl60_CZl8

"What a load of bullshit", I found myself saying aloud after witnessing that for the first time.  How can it be working for everyone when so many people in the world are unbanked?  And how much of the wording in that was deliberately chosen to mirror the kinds of things we say about Bitcoin?  It feels very much like a pre-emptive first strike on their part, possibly demonstrating some insecurities about the threat their business model now faces.

Anyone else get the sense they had crypto in mind when they wrote the script for it?

[NeuroticFish]

"What a load of bullshit"

Of course. Isn't this how commercials are made?

Those making the commercial are not those making VISA. For them, VISA worked everywhere they went (probably only in cities), hence for them it's "correct". The fact that in many remote areas VISA doesn't work doesn't even matter much, since the AD is not targeting those anyway.

Also people just love the small nice lies that make them sleep easy, hence VISA not working here and there, cards declined for no clear reason, the reality that many people are unbanked.. they don't matter for most of the audience.



The only truth there is that VISA is indeed a signature. Certain people look for the VISA symbol on shops like others look for "Bitcoin accepted".
But in reality, I don't understand at all why they paid for the commercial. They have to convince only the banks emit VISA cards, the customer doesn't care much if he gets VISA or MasterCard as long as he wants a card and he receives one internationally accepted. And the payment processors will accept any major card anyway.

[o_e_l_e_o]

[In the end Visa is what it's always been, and I'm not even sure why they need to advertise.

As jackg has pointed out, they are losing market dominance. 20 years ago if you wanted to buy something in a store or online, you could pay in cash, Visa, or Mastercard. Now you can use Google Pay, Apple Pay, Microsoft Pay, PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, Advanced Cash, dozens of other banking or payment apps, and now bitcoin too. They will be feeling the squeeze, and this is only going to get worse for them over time.

They claim, for example, that Bitcoin addresses the problem of the world's unbanked population. Well, I should also say many of the unbanked are technologically-illiterate, poor, beyond the reach of electricity, don't have access to internet, and so on.

I appreciate that point of view, but that's not what I think of when I think of addressing the unbanked. Bitcoin overcomes the issues with banks, not the issues with entire infrastructure of the country. If you have terrible credit and have been turned down by a bank, bitcoin addresses that. If you have no ID and so can't open a bank account, bitcoin addresses that. If you have no fixed address and can't open a bank account, bitcoin addresses that too.

[perfect999]

True for the unbanked but even if they are they can still own a card.
Can't really blame VISA if some persons can't have a bank account. It's like Nokia's slogan 2 decades ago: "Connecting people" How does it do if people don't have a phone.

I don’t see anything that’s wrong with that slogan that Nokia used. That’s the work of a mobile phone and not just mobile, but every other technology out there that are similar, their work is to help us connect with people. But if someone decides not to one a phone then you’re not going to blame the company, they have played their own part which is to produce the phone, it’s up to you whether you want to make use of it or not, no one will force you to do that.

In the case of Visa and banks, people chooses not to have a bank account for their own personal reasons, we are not going to blame Visa or banks for it. Bank is open to everyone, if you want to have a bank account, nobody is stopping you. So for Visa saying they connecting everyone, I don’t really see what’s getting some people pissed there, because you can actually use it to send money to anywhere around the world too.

[el kaka22]

It's so obvious that these billion dollars worth of companies acting as if they are with the poor people and how they help it when in reality they are just making billions off those people.

We all know that visa could charge a lot less, for example if you are making under 1k dollar per month as a business they could waive all of what they are getting or make it very tiny, the moment you go above 1k then until 10k make it small but still make something, then after 10k per month make everyone pay default as it is now, and after 1+ million per month then charge them huge amount if you want to or do not that's on you. They could do that, that would help people, but are they doing it? No they are charging fees from everyone and making insane amount of profit from this at the same time.

[coupable]

Bank is open to everyone, if you want to have a bank account, nobody is stopping you. So for Visa saying they connecting everyone, I don’t really see what’s getting some people pissed there, because you can actually use it to send money to anywhere around the world too.

No it's not opened for everyone and this is why the majority of world population are unbanked, many of them even don't own an identity card/number. In this case, we can't blame banks neither Visa but the corrupted governments.
Visa isn't also accessible for everybody except countries who sign agreement with it. However, many of them still not allowed to use Visa services even in some well developped countries. for instance, in my country Tunisia, Visa cards works fine but only for people living abroad or tourists because it's not allowed to verify the Visa card using a Tunisian address just like PayPal and other paiement processors.
I think the script writer of this joke pub knows that unbanked people hasn't also internet in their mobile phones to see how Visa is lying about being accessible for everybody on earth. If we can choose Visa by Bitcoin or cryptocurrencies, the ads will be much more credible .

[Quidat]

It's so obvious that these billion dollars worth of companies acting as if they are with the poor people and how they help it when in reality they are just making billions off those people.

We all know that visa could charge a lot less, for example if you are making under 1k dollar per month as a business they could waive all of what they are getting or make it very tiny, the moment you go above 1k then until 10k make it small but still make something, then after 10k per month make everyone pay default as it is now, and after 1+ million per month then charge them huge amount if you want to or do not that's on you. They could do that, that would help people, but are they doing it? No they are charging fees from everyone and making insane amount of profit from this at the same time.

Its a business and of course they would really sip out or really taking advantage into their clients or users and its no surprise that people doesnt touch up banks neither they arent qualified or simply didnt really
tend to get involved since they do know that it is more worth if they are the only ones who would held their money on.When desperation do happens then this is one of the solid display of it.
It seems people are already becoming smarter and becoming more aware in regards to their finances and other businesses surrounding which do only uses up people for them to benefit out.

[timerland]

I don't watch much TV on the TV itself nowadays, so I don't know if anyone has been talking about this ad or not:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbvl60_CZl8

"What a load of bullshit", I found myself saying aloud after witnessing that for the first time.  How can it be working for everyone when so many people in the world are unbanked?  And how much of the wording in that was deliberately chosen to mirror the kinds of things we say about Bitcoin?  It feels very much like a pre-emptive first strike on their part, possibly demonstrating some insecurities about the threat their business model now faces.

Anyone else get the sense they had crypto in mind when they wrote the script for it?

Spot on man.

It seems like they are trying to differentiate themselves from the rest of CeFi?

But perhaps they are trying too hard. It just seems pretentious to offer yourself as some sort of network for "everyone" when half of the world doesn't even have access to your network, and you are still running on the archaic fiat infrastructure.

[Darker45]

They claim, for example, that Bitcoin addresses the problem of the world's unbanked population. Well, I should also say many of the unbanked are technologically-illiterate, poor, beyond the reach of electricity, don't have access to internet, and so on.

I appreciate that point of view, but that's not what I think of when I think of addressing the unbanked. Bitcoin overcomes the issues with banks, not the issues with entire infrastructure of the country. If you have terrible credit and have been turned down by a bank, bitcoin addresses that. If you have no ID and so can't open a bank account, bitcoin addresses that. If you have no fixed address and can't open a bank account, bitcoin addresses that too.

Yes, of course. That's selective, but that's all right. In the same manner that when Visa claims to be a network working for everyone, that shouldn't be construed literally either. It is also selective. The everyone there obviously refers only to those to whom it is applicable, the banked. Although, right now, things are apparently getting better with Visa-supported crypto wallets.

Anyway, banks are already addressing banking issues themselves such as lack of a valid ID or a permanent address.