SAN FRANCISCO – Visa USA announced that it is changing its familiar blue, white and gold Visa logo for the first time in 30 years. The new logo “is designed to better reflect the broad range of electronic payment products provided by Visa's Member financial institutions and the ever expanding environments in which they're accepted,” the brand said. Beginning Jan. 3, the updated brand mark started appearing on all new materials, including Visa payment cards, merchant decals, marketing materials and stadium signage. The new Visa mark, which debuted in regions outside the U.S. in September 2005, features prominent use of the iconic Visa brand name, the blue, white and gold colors, and italicized type style while incorporating new graphic enhancements to make it stand out even more. “The Visa brand plays a critical role in connecting millions of cardholders and merchants. It's a brand that resonates around the world and today we're taking an important step that ensures our brand remains vibrant and relevant, positioning Visa for long-term growth,” said Susanne Lyons, chief marketing officer for Visa USA. “Visa has evolved much beyond credit cards to become the world leader in electronic payments including debit, commercial, and small business credit cards. The new logo and card design reflect these changes, and provide Visa and our members with the flexibility to adapt to new innovations like contactless cards, payments by cell phones and whatever the next new technology may be,” she said. The new brand mark also leads a card redesign. In the future the dove hologram will move to the back of the card and be integrated into the magnetic stripe, enhancing Visa's multiple layers of security, the brand said. The three-digit security code, known as the CVV2 code, will be printed on a separate panel next to the signature panel, making it easier for consumers and merchants to read. [email protected]