Viral star travels with Visa

Regional - Visa has launched a travel-focused campaign starring viral video-star Matt Harding, who dances his way through several locations across Asia.

The commercial makes its Asia Pacific debut in Hong Kong today (21 November) and will be air across eight countries and territories in the region over the next few weeks.

The TVC aims to show how Visa acts like a universal currency and eases the hassle of exchanging cash as merchants around the world accept the card.

Harding who entertained the internet community through his self-made quirky video travel diaries is featured in the two TVCs demonstrating his ‘travel happy' dance in the first and getting people, like cruise operators, hotel and restaurant staff, tour guides, and taxi drivers from various Asian countries (China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore and Vietnam), performing their own rendition of Hardings's dance in the second version.

"We've attempted to capture a very common love for travel in our new campaign - celebrating the multicultural, multi-faceted face of travel with the singular card that makes it possible," said Rajiv Kapoor, GM, marketing, Visa APAC, said.

BBDO was the creative agency responsible for the campaign. The next phase of the campaign involving other media executions will be revealed in December.

Harding's first videos appeared online in 2004 and his latest YouTube video posted on 20 June recorded more than 12 million views.