Visa has launched its Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics campaign, spotlighting record-breaking athletes Mikaela Shiffrin and Oksana Masters in a pair of anthem films that focus on resilience, support systems, and the real journeys behind elite performance.
Developed in partnership with Anomaly, the new campaign moves away from spectacle-driven sports storytelling and instead centers on intimate, human moments that have shaped each athlete’s path. The work highlights how Visa plays a tangible role in enabling progress, both on and off the world’s biggest competitive stages.
Set against the global backdrop of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, the films extend Visa’s long-running Olympic storytelling by emphasizing the “village” behind each athlete. Coaches, family members, fans, and everyday support networks are woven throughout the narratives, with Visa naturally integrated into those moments rather than positioned as a foreground hero.
Anchored by two athlete-led anthem films, the campaign explores the perseverance and trust required to reach the highest levels of sport. A supporting suite of Brand Advantage films complements the anthems by reinforcing Visa’s product superiority and its behind-the-scenes role in supporting athletes and fans wherever their journeys take them.
The 60-second anthem featuring Shiffrin follows the most decorated alpine skier in history as she rides a ski lift toward the mountaintop, reflecting on her career and personal evolution. The film traces her story from childhood memories of buying her first ski boots through moments of doubt, determination, and record-setting runs, culminating in a final descent down the mountain. It closes with Shiffrin’s declaration, “There is no top, there’s just the choice to rise.” Watch below:
Master’s 30-second anthem captures the journey of the multi-sport Paralympic champion through a series of formative moments that shaped her athletic life. Training, racing, and reflection come together as she states, “It’s everything behind you that brings you to what’s ahead.”
Josh Fell, Chief Creative Officer at Anomaly LA, said the team aimed to move beyond familiar athlete narratives. “We’ve all seen a million athlete story campaigns. So how do you bring something different? You start at the truth of who these athletes are, icons of persistence who don’t run from their past but use it to fuel what’s next. Visa’s role then becomes clear. To be there with them on that journey. And then we throw a metric ton of sweat and craft and care at every detail to overcome a snowless mountain and come out the other side with a campaign we couldn’t be prouder of.”
Rather than focusing solely on medals or podium finishes, the campaign places emotional weight on the athletes’ lived experiences. Built on Visa’s “Everywhere You Want to Be” brand platform, the work expands the idea of progress to include the people, places, and systems that sustain excellence over time.
The campaign is airing across broadcast, social, connected TV, and online video, including placements on Netflix, Peacock, Paramount Plus, YouTube, and Hulu.
CREDITS
BRAND: Visa
- Jeff Cha – SVP/Head of Global Brand
- Mariota Essery – VP, Global Brand Creative
- Kiko Mattoso – Creative Director
- Jenni Towers – North America Brand Director
- Veronica Votypka – Director of Global Creative Content Strategy, Development & Distribution
AGENCY: Anomaly
- Josh Fell – Chief Creative Officer
- Zach Myrow – Group Creative Director
- Willy Maitland – Creative Director
- Shelby Guller – Associate Creative Director (Anthems)
- Hannah Tutera – Associate Creative Director (Anthems)
- Eric Scott – Associate Creative Director (RTB)
- Joe Jones – Senior Art Director (RTB)
- Erika Madison – Head of Production
- Senior Producer: Christine Hurty
- Chief Strategy Officer: Amanda Feve
- Group Strategy Director: Maggie Bonner
- Managing Director – Finnian O’Neill
- Business Director – Alex Sagol
- Account Director – Jake Thelen
- Chris DeLuca – Account Executive
- Michelle Yee – Group Project Director
- Daniella Vargas – Director of Business Affairs
- Maureen Doyle – Senior Business Affairs Manager
- Billy Mucha – Business Affairs Manager
EDIT: Cabin Editing Company
- Managing Partner: Carr Schilling
- Managing Director: Kim Christensen
- Executive Producer: Britt Carson + Katy Zamora
- Head of Production: Michelle Reed
- Editor: Carlos Font Clos
- Editor: Kayla Hashimoto
- Assistant Editor: Diego Astorga
- Producer: Brian Scharwath
COLOR: TMLS
- Colorist: Julien Alary @julienalary_color
- Colour Studio: TMLS @tmls.tv
- Colour Producer: Eli Mari Sandal @mimisand
- Colour assistant: Malin Imerslund @malin_imerslund
- Colour assistant: Chrisremy Berrefjord @chrisremyberrefjord
- Colour assistant: Mattias Eriksson @mattiasgeriksson
VFX/FINISHING: Noise VFX
- CD, VFX Supervisor – Olly Caiden
- Executive Producer – Karen Anderson
- VFX Producer – Ishaa Kotecha
- VFX Coordinator – Aminah Gbadamosi
- CG Supervisor – Corinne DeOrsay
- Previz Artist – Mark Austin
- Compositor – Chung-pu Hsiao
- Compositor – Daryl Bruinsma
- Compositor – David Ince
- Compositor – Jim Spratling
- CG Lighter – Lorena Cano Acosta
- CG Lighter – Kiersten Yahn
- CG Lighter – Asher Stusek
- CG Lighter – Brian Broussard
- CG Animator – Andrew Price
- CG Modeler – Leo Chung
- FX Artist – Simon Littlejohn
- DMP – Whitman Lindstrom
- DMP – Itai Muller
Music
Mikaela Credits:
- Original Music by Human
- EP Kamela Anderson
- Creative Director Matthew O’Malley
- Composer Jon Hubbell
Oksana Credits:
- Original Music by Human
- EP Kamela Anderson
- Creative Director Matthew O’Malley
- Composer John Chris Barnes
SOUND DESIGN/MIX: Barking Owl
- Sound Designer – Gus Koven
- Mixers – Matt Keith & Beau Manning
- Executive Producer – KC Dossett
- Managing Director – Carol Dunn
