Client: Visa

The Challenge: Create a compelling campaign that highlights Visa’s commitment to empowering Black communities through economic equity and inclusion, showcasing the transformative potential of supporting Black-owned businesses.

Audience: Global corporate leaders, policymakers, investors, and socially conscious consumers who have the influence and capacity to drive systemic economic change.

Some Background: Visa is a global leader in digital payments, facilitating over 250 billion transactions annually across 200 countries and territories. As part of its mission to uplift underserved communities, Visa has focused on building inclusive economic ecosystems that promote entrepreneurship and innovation.

But while companies like Visa have made greater commitments over the last four years, the stark reality remains: a dollar circulates for only 6 hours within the Black community compared to 17 days in white communities, 20 days in Jewish communities, and 30 days in Asian communities. This disparity underscores the critical barriers Black entrepreneurs face, including limited access to capital, fewer Black-owned businesses, and systemic obstacles to wealth retention.

Visa's ongoing initiatives, such as its Small Business Hub and partnerships with local community organizations, aim to address these barriers by providing financial education, grants, and access to its vast global network. The company sees this challenge as an opportunity to showcase its leadership in driving equitable economic growth.

Helpful Insights:

• Visa has invested $10 million annually into its Inclusive Growth programs, focusing on underrepresented entrepreneurs.
• Black-owned businesses are 20% more likely to be rejected for loans than their counterparts, even when credit profiles are identical.
• Supporting Black entrepreneurs could add an estimated $1.5 trillion to the global economy, driving innovation and societal progress.

Your Task: Create a solution that spotlights Visa’s role in fostering economic equity for Black communities. The campaign should inspire tangible actions, such as investing in Black-owned businesses, supporting inclusive finance policies, and educating consumers about the economic impact of their spending choices.

The Strategy: Position Visa as a global catalyst for Black economic empowerment by emphasizing the transformative impact of investing in Black communities. Leverage the disparity in dollar circulation as a stark call-to-action, framing it as a solvable challenge. Highlight the ripple effects of these investments, from driving innovation to fostering societal progress.

Your idea will be judged on how original, creative, and actionable it is.