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Case Studies

Case study: How WhatsApp partnered with comedians to spotlight privacy features

WhatsApp’s #MessagePrivately campaign transformed everyday moments into lessons on digital privacy, using humour and relatability to engage audiences across India. Here’s a case study on how it was done.

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In the realm of private messaging, WhatsApp has been serving over two billion users worldwide. As conversations around data protection grow louder, the platform has taken a creative approach to educate users about its privacy features. The messaging app recently released its #MessagePrivately campaign--in collaboration with Only Much Louder (OML). Featuring some Indian comedians, the campaign leverages the cultural phenomenon of 'Good Morning' messages to highlight WhatsApp’s privacy tools. This case study dives into the same. 

Category Introduction

In today’s digital landscape, privacy is more crucial than ever and protecting private conversations has become a priority. Among these, end-to-end encrypted messaging services are the top choice for consumers as the discourse around privacy and data security has grown significantly, driven by increasing awareness about data protection and secure communication channels.  The global mobile messaging app market size will be USD 105421.2 million in 2024. India's messaging app sales revenue is expected to reach USD 2909.63 million in 2024. With the rise of digital communication across platforms, from email to social media and online communities, robust privacy features are one way to gain the trust and loyalty of consumers.

Brand Introduction 

WhatsApp is a private messaging app with more than 2 billion people in over 180 countries using it to stay in touch with friends and family, anytime and anywhere. It is not free and available on multiple mobile devices and in low-connectivity areas. 

The messaging app is estimated to have reached almost three billion active users worldwide in June 2024, up by 7% compared to the corresponding month in 2023. According to Statista, WhatsApp users in India are projected to reach 795.67 million users by 2025. 

Summary

In an effort to demonstrate its commitment to user privacy and highlight built-in layers of privacy and security features added over the years, the brand partnered with Only Much Louder (OML) to develop the #MessagePrivately#MessagePrivately initiative featuring a funny 'WhatsApp GoodMornings' social series, a play on the culturally relevant morning forwards almost everyone who uses the platform is aware of. By enlisting some Indian comedians like Zakir Khan, Biswa Kalyan Rath, Gurleen Pannu, and Aakash Gupta, the brand and independent media organisation used social media to highlight the app’s privacy features such as Block and Report, Silence Unknown Callers, Two-Step Verification, and the Meta Verified Badge. Through humour and relatability, the campaign educated users about protecting their digital interactions from spam, scams, and other threats while showcasing WhatsApp’s privacy tools.

Objective 

The objective was to demystify the app's privacy features for a broad audience, ensuring users understood how to safeguard their private conversations. The campaign sought to create awareness of the importance of privacy in digital communication while fostering trust in the platform’s security measures.

Brief

The platform tasked OML with creating an engaging and socially relevant campaign that would resonate with almost everyone, regardless of their generational mindset, from millennials to Gen Zs. The brief leveraged comedy to highlight the app’s privacy tools in a lighthearted yet informative way, focusing on relatable situations like receiving ‘Good Morning’ messages that resonated with the everyday experiences of users.

Creative Idea 

The approach was straightforward and personal, offering a direct portrayal of the comedians’ morning routines. Each film wove in information about WhatsApp’s privacy features, presenting the social series through conversations that felt familiar and inviting, akin to a chat with friends or family.

The social series’ insight stemmed from the simple ritual of sending ‘Good Morning’ messages to your loved ones. These messages reflect the bonds we share with friends and family, offering warmth, comfort, and connection. The creative idea revolved around spotlighting these seemingly mundane moments that can also serve as reminders of the importance of privacy.

Challenges

  • Making privacy features understandable to a diverse audience with varying levels of tech literacy.

  • Retaining user engagement through entertaining yet informative content.

  • Addressing scepticism around digital privacy in a relatable way.

Execution 

The #MessagePrivately campaign was brought to life through a series of four short films in the 'WhatsApp GoodMornings' series, each starring a well-known comedian. The series was executed over a period of 15 days, with a structured rollout of assets across social media platforms. Each step was designed to build anticipation, deliver the core message, and sustain engagement with playful follow-ups:

Phase 1: Building Anticipation

The campaign began with Instagram Stories featuring comedians, Zakir Khan, Biswa Kalyan Rath, Gurleen Pannu, and Aakash Gupta, hyping up their followers. These teasers hinted at their upcoming 'WhatsApp Good Morning' messages, creating curiosity and excitement among their audiences.

  • The tone was conversational and aligned with the comedians’ unique styles, making the announcement feel authentic and relatable.

  • Call-to-action in these stories encouraged viewers to ‘stay tuned’ for the next day’s reveal.

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Phase 2: Main Asset Rollout

The second phase featured the release of the primary content: four quirky, humorous videos, each showcasing a specific privacy feature through the lens of relatable “Good Morning” message scenarios.

  • Zakir Khan: Delivered a story about scammers and his father, highlighting the ‘Block and Report’ feature.

  • Biswa Kalyan Rath: Used a plant-themed analogy to explain how to deal with spam callers.

  • Gurleen Pannu: Portrayed emphasises two-step verification while being overprotective about her mother.

  • Aakash Gupta: Brought humour to the importance of the 'Meta Verified Badge' while preparing coffee.

The films were distributed on Instagram and Facebook as reels, YouTube shorts, and Twitter videos, leveraging each platform’s strengths to maximize reach.

Phase 3: Meme Amplification

To sustain the momentum, each film was followed by playful, static memes related to the privacy feature that the respective comedian highlighted. These memes:

  • Used humour and witty text to reinforce the message of the main video.

  • Encouraged sharing and engagement by tapping into relatable, everyday experiences.

  • Extended the campaign’s life by keeping the content fresh and engaging for the audience.

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Results 

Quantitative:

  • Overall content views: 3.6 million+

  • Content reach: 3 million+

  • Organic PR reach: 3.5 million +

  • Content Engagements: 126K +

Qualitative:

  • Positive audience sentiment highlighted relatability and humour.

  • Increased understanding of privacy tools as reflected in user feedback and engagement metrics.

Vyom Prashant, Director, Consumer Marketing at Meta, said, "Over the years we have added multiple layers of security and protection with innovative features that empower users to have their most private conversations on WhatsApp. This campaign in partnership with OML extends our commitment to deliver engaging, relatable content that demonstrates the importance of WhatsApp’s privacy features that make secure communication easy for everyone."

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