Visa is taking a targeted approach to mobile offers with a new program enabling NFL fans to sign  up to receive discounts for Papa John’s, Sports Illustrated and other NFL-related merchants.

The Visa NFL Fan Offers program is a central component of Visa’s new marketing campaign to support its National Football League sponsorship.  Through the program, Visa cardholders can sign up to receive text offers and emails as well as win tickets to NFL games.

“Utilizing text messaging enables Visa to fully deliver on the intended benefit of Visa NFL Fan Offers, which is to deliver timely and relevant value directly to NFL fans,” said Alex Craddock, head of North America marketing of Visa Inc., Los Angeles.

“The program is unique in that communications can be targeted based on team affiliation and spending habits, the latter of which makes SMS an important tool for distribution of offers.

“Mobile plays an integral role in bringing Visa NFL Team Offers to cardholders.”

Pizza discounts
Visa is using real-time technology to distribute a limited number of messages per week via SMS and email directly to fans to alert them to offers from NFL-related merchants or NFL sponsors, including discounts on pizza, NFL gear and EA Sports Madden NFL 13.

Those who sign up will also receive additional chances to win unique NFL experiences via sweepstakes drawings, such as access to John Madden’s viewing studio or an NFL coach’s game day speech as well as trips to the Pro Bowl and Super Bowl XLVIII.

The program was designed to enhance the NFL experience for fans by bringing them closer to the action.

Visa cardholders can enroll in the program at visa.com/MakeItEpic, where they will need to input an eligible Visa account number, mobile phone number and email address.

Cardholders are also asked to select an NFL team affiliation.

Those who register will receive an initial welcome offer followed by email and mobile text messages each week containing offers.

Participating merchants include NFLShop.com, Papa John’s, 24 Hour Fitness, DirecTV, Sports Illustrated, Lids and EA Sports.

Football fever
The new offers program is part of a larger, multichannel effort to support Visa’s NFL sponsorship. Visa is the exclusive payment services sponsor of 10 NFL teams, including the Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills.

Several TV ads will focus on the NFL experiences fans can win through the new offers program.

In one ad, which debuted on Sept. 9, a small girl and her dad are among the reporters asking Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis questions after a game. The ad highlights the first experience that can be won via Visa NFL Fan Offers, the opportunity to interview an NFL player.

The multichannel campaign will also feature a social media tie-in with Visa’s Facebook, YouTube and Twitter channels, where fans will have access to exclusive content.

“Our primary objective in creating Visa NFL Fan Offers was to combine the power of our NFL sponsorship with Visa Offers platform technology to deliver timely and relevant value directly to NFL fans that will enhance their experience and fuel their passion,” Mr. Craddock said.

Final Take
Chantal Tode is associate editor on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York