Visa, The Power of an Idea, is the first book to take a full, inside look at this pioneering financial giant and its profound impact on the peoples and nations of the world. The story opens with the amazing life and philosophy of A.P. Giannini, the founder of the Bank of America who devoted himself to one noble cause: giving financial power to the common man. That idea was later embodied in the BankAmericard, the forerunner to today's Visa card.

The book offers readers an inside view of politics and sponsorship, marketing wars with American Express and MasterCard, and of the intricacies of building one of the world's most powerful brands. It also examines the technology that drives Visa and the e-commerce revolution, and it follows the story to Singapore, where Visa helps lead the worldwide effort to combat credit card fraud and counterfeiting -- and computer hacking and Internet fraud.

Visa, The Power of an Idea, is richly illustrated, with historical photos and a wealth of illustrations from Visa advertising and marketing campaigns from around the world.