Field The Future

For many girls in Canada, the decision to walk away from sport isn’t because of lack of passion – it’s one of disconnection from the bigger picture. They don’t see themselves reflected on the field, in leadership, or in sport culture. Visa’s Play & Stay program was created to change that by showing girls that when they stick with sports, they learn valuable life-skills that help them be more successful off the field. The program engaged the community with grass-roots initiatives and human connection.
Introducing Field the Future, a first-of-its-kind, real-time, AI-powered brand experience designed to inspire those that are being left behind: young female soccer players. We invited a group of girls from local soccer leagues to what they believed was a simple photo shoot. Behind the scenes, however, a team of AI and creative experts listened as the girls spoke candidly about their dreams, passions, and personalities.
Then using their individual conversations as data, we generated hyper-personalized, AI-powered portraits showing who they could grow up to be should they stay on the field– confident, powerful, and successful. We revealed the portraits to them in an emotional moment captured on camera, then where community pride is at its highest: a Canadian Women’s National Team match. Families, teammates, and soccer fans watched together as the girls saw their future selves projected on the stadium jumbotron and cheered for them like pros.
The work sparked a ripple of belief through the wider sporting ecosystem. Viewers who saw the film capture of the experience shared their own powerful stories - from reflecting on the challenges they faced growing up in sport, to the pride they felt watching their daughters push forward today. Canada Soccer became an amplification partner, spreading an idea meant to inspire a niche community to a national audience.
This wasn’t just an activation. It was a moment that rippled through conversations, team locker rooms, and family dinner tables. “Field the Future” reminded everyone: belonging starts with being seen.  The activation and campaign exceeded expectations – surpassing the impressions goal at 138% and achieving 122% of the projected reach.