“Partnering with someone like [Antetokounmpo], who is a part of culture, allows us to take WhatsApp from being something that’s really back of mind and sometimes a utility-focused element, to being more front of mind and something that people are reminded is an integral part of culture.”
Connecting a global community
Odior told Adweek that WhatsApp’s entry into the branded entertainment space was an organic byproduct of its partnership with Antetokounmpo, whose use of the service in his everyday life inspired him to approach the company in 2020.
“In order to fulfill the mission of moving from being a utility to being something that’s front of mind, deep in hearts and well loved, we needed to be able to tell real stories that we’ve had the patience to flesh out,” she said.
“We also felt that when it comes to identity and storytelling, and when it comes to the role WhatsApp has played in people’s lives, we needed to be able to honor that by highlighting a user’s experience or story and highlighting the role we’ve played. In a lot of instances, that just requires a dedication to the longer form narrative that tells the person’s story.”
One of those stories is We Are Ayenda, a 30-minute documentary released in August during the Women’s FIFA World Cup, which has been selected for screening at this year’s Sundance Festival. The film, directed by award-winning filmmaker Amber Fares, tells the story of the Afghan Youth Women’s National Football team, who used the app to send private messages that facilitated their escape from Afghanistan after the Taliban seized control of the country in 2021.
“I can’t say that we are fully stepping into branded entertainment, [but] it’s kind of the one and only way that we communicate,” said Odior. “We are very committed to telling our users’ stories, and we will always do justice by them.”
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