I really don’t like (and don’t get) the new Visa campaign: "Life takes ____, Life takes Visa".  I guess it’s an attempt to position the card away from an emphasis on consumption and spending ("It’s everywhere you want to be") towards a kinder, gentler brand position, à la Citibank’s "Live richly".

The one area where this ill-conceived campaign has come to life is online.  Turns out that these little vignettes about life’s moments make a great collection of short video clips.  And as much I hate to praise a competitor, AKQA has done a nice job turning confusing TV, print, and outdoor executions into a coherent experience at LifeTakesVisa.com.

Sure, they ripped off the navigation elements from cult designer We Fail’s site for photographer Matthew Mahon (which is a truly exceptional experience), and I would’ve liked to see the videos load on first click, but overall it’s the kind of site that demands several minutes of exploration – which means valuable time with the Visa brand.

Misha Cornes