Toronto, ON, September 10, 2015 - In its 19th year of sponsorship of the Toronto International Film Festival®, Visa will showcase innovation and activation worthy of the red carpet. Running from September 10 to 20, 2015, festival-goers will get a taste of the future of retail through immersive experiences, including demonstrations of Visa's proof of concept Connected Car and a virtual reality retail experience.
"The excitement, imagination and momentum that flourish at the Toronto International Film Festival create the perfect setting to tell the story of how Visa is changing the way we pay," said Brenda Woods, Head of Marketing, Visa Canada. "Similar to stepping into a theatre, our onsite demos at the heart of the Festival, at Roy Thomson Hall, offer guests the ability to be transported in a fun way to experience the future of shopping."
Connected Car Commerce
By 2020 it is estimated that more than 250 million vehicles worldwide will include some form of embedded connectivity1. Visa's Connected Car will showcase Visa's leading edge payment technologies while keeping busy on-the-go consumers in mind. The Visa Connected Car demonstration will take festival-goers on a 360 degree journey that begins with ordering a meal on the way home. The immersive experience demonstrates Visa's vision of the future where consumers can seamlessly make many of their purchases without leaving the car.
"We're excited to debut Visa's Connected Car in Canada," said Derek Colfer, Head of Technology & Digital Innovation, Visa Canada. "As the number of internet-enabled cars on the road increases and internet-connected things proliferate, we will continue to provide Canadians with innovative ways to pay for everyday purchases from the car such as gasoline and drive-through purchases while driving interoperability and maintaining payment security that consumers expect from Visa."
Virtual Reality Retail
Visa is further extending the cinematic experience at the Festival with an immersive online shopping demonstration. Festival-goers will step in and be surrounded by 8-foot screens, transporting them into a virtual shopping environment. Attendees can choose between a Parisian-style bakery, complete with romantic music, bright colours, and beautiful pastries, or an old-style Country Western shop, with country tunes and wood accents. Consumers will navigate their way through the stores and select their purchases through touching the screens that surround them.
Visa consumer experiences at the Festival feature Visa Checkout - Visa's online payment service that lets consumers make online purchases more quickly and easily. Whether using a computer, tablet, or mobile device, Visa Checkout makes online shopping more enjoyable by removing the need to continually re-enter payment and billing information. Festival-goers will be able to learn more about Visa Checkout, and can sign up for the service right on site.
Visa Infinite
Always synonymous with the Toronto International Film Festival experience, Visa Infinite cardholders will enjoy the same perks and special access they have come to expect at the Festival through the years. Visa Infinite cardholders had access to tickets before the general public and will enjoy VIP access to theatre lounges including Red Carpet lounges, express line access at the Visa Screening Room, and other perks.
Visa Infinite provides cardholders with one-of-a-kind, memorable experiences for themselves, their family and friends. This includes exceptional benefits at some of the world's finest hotels, exclusive access to music, dining and sports events and a complimentary 24/7 concierge service. For more information about Visa Infinite please visit visainfinite.ca.