Rugby World Cup worldwide partner MasterCard, ahead of the England 2015 tournament in September, has announced that it has retired the PIN number ‘2003’.
To help leverage interest in the competition, to salute England’s previous trophy triumph and to ensure the continued safety of fan finances, the payments giant has sset aside the electronic access number 2003 for good.
The move is promoted by a campaign fronted by MasterCard rugby ambassador Martin Johnson.
The former England captain explains the decision behind the PIN code withdrawal
‘Anyone still using 2003 as their PIN number, it really is time to move on,’ quips Johnson.
Before adding the compulsory t&c comment that ‘PIN security is not to be taken lightly’.
The campaign is running across the finance brand’s own social media platforms, including a YouTube spot,
and on Twitter
MasterCard Cardholders can no longer use PIN 2003. Martin Johnson says why: http://t.co/8SUNZ63KI4 #GetOver2003
https://t.co/qTQ1DMBMB3
— MasterCardUK (@MasterCardUK) April 1, 2015
The move is based on research that discovered an overwhelming number of English fans had reset their PIN code to ‘2003’ in honour of England’s victory on Australian soil in that same year.
After England won the Rugby World Cup in 2003, Mastercard saw a significant rise in the number of rugby union fans using the year as their PIN code.
The problem has worsened still with this year’s tournament imminent, so the finance firm has decided to withdraw the number entirely as it represents a security risk.
Of course, for those in doubt, MasterCard are not really retiring any PIN numbers.
This was, of course, an April Fools.
Comment
There’s no getting away from the fact that it is Rugby World Cup year and it is England who are hosting it – after all, would we be seeing so many rugby sponsor April Fool’s pranks in the UK if this wasn’t the case?
Like RFU partner BMW’s own April Fool, MasterCard also chose to use an England captain to front its own clowning around – this time a retired World Cup winner.
England fans will be hoping that is a description that will be applied to current captain Robshaw by the end of the year.
Links
MasterCard YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/user/MasterCardUK
MasterCard Website
MasterCard Google+
https://plus.google.com/116916914076308047523/posts
MasterCard Twitter
https://twitter.com/mastercarduk
