Olympic sponsorship can be a gold mine for marketers seeking to enhance brand awareness on an international level and generate sales. But it must be done right, and marketers must be prepared to
spend money. Visa is a classic example of a major marketer who has gotten the most out of its Olympic sponsorships, and the company is currently gearing up for its 20th Olympic sponsorship deal with
the upcoming Winter Games in Torino, Italy. Visa has a rich history of featuring athletes in its marketing efforts who have gone on to capture the nation's imagination and hearts with their Olympic
exploits. "Visa has integrated [its marketing] to the point where the Visa DNA and Olympic DNA have become [almost] synonymous," said Jim Grice, chief marketing officer of the United States Olympic
Committee. "They do a really good job of communicating the positive assets the U.S. Olympic team represents and intertwining it with their business objectives and message." This year, Visa is banking
on U.S. gold medal favorite Lindsey Jacobellis to come through for them with her achievements in the daring new Olympic sport of snowboard cross.
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