WhatsApp’s new ad underlines its commitment to user privacy

The ad portrays a Tamil-speaking family’s efforts to make their Assamese daughter-in-law feel more at home.

WhatsApp has released another TVC, as a part of its global consumer marketing campaign ‘Message Privately’. In line with its previous TVCs launched last month, this one reinforces WhatsApp’s commitment to user privacy, through its end-to-end encryption technology.

The TVC portrays a Tamil-speaking family’s efforts to learn Assamese to make their daughter-in-law feel more at home. Through the relatable and endearing story, WhatsApp conveys how it remains a safe space for users to share their most personal moments with their loved ones.

Avinash Pant, director - marketing at Facebook India, said, “We believe that all of us need to have an assurance of our own personal space. Privacy is an important component of our lives that helps to drive growth and brings people closer. Our endeavour is to highlight that the privacy provided by WhatsApp, through end-to-end encryption, is not just a feature, but a feeling that leads to real human connections and also progress.”

“The campaign is built on several real life stories from our daily lives that people can easily relate with. It's a matter of great privilege that two billion people around the world trust WhatsApp to deliver their personal messages daily. And, this campaign is an affirmation of our users’ unstinted faith in WhatsApp.”

Conceptualised by BBDO India, the TVC shows the Assamese daughter-in-law being clueless about Tamil expressions. So the mother-in-law creates a Whatsapp group for the family to learn Assamese. Referring to a Tamil to Assamese dictionary she sends audio recordings of words on WhatsApp. We then see the family taking efforts to learn those words. Later while watching a cricket match, he loudly exclaims in Assamese when the player hits a boundary making her feel welcomed.

While we see the mother-in-law opening WhatsApp on her phone, we can’t hear what she is recording. The exchange remains confidential, and the audience is not privy to it. This further drives the message of privacy, home.

Josy Paul, chairman, BBDO India, added, “WhatsApp is like your living room, private and intimate. It’s that safe place where we can all thrive. That’s our truth, and it’s what we set out to capture through relatable stories and moments.”

“The campaign brings to life the joy of privacy in all its everyday drama and diversity. Interestingly, in the films, you never know what’s the exchange between the characters. You can’t see their messages. That’s private. But you get the feeling. It’s privacy that leads to beautiful moments of progress.”

The ad films are directed by celebrated Indian filmmaker Shimit Amin. “WhatsApp is such a daily part of our lives in all sorts of ways, and that goes without saying. It was really good to use our head and deconstruct scenarios to focus on where privacy would play an important role in an Indian context.”

“How is this brief relevant for Indian audiences, was always a question before all of us. BBDO and WhatsApp India team were incredibly supportive in the various experiments we went through to arrive at what finally worked and came to be. Without the trust and support we received, this work would not have been possible.”

‘Golden Jubilee’, the first ad film in ‘Message Privately’ series, brings alive a heart-warming real moment between an older couple, too shy to profess their affection publicly. They exchange private messages on WhatsApp on the occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary celebrations amidst their family.

‘Dream Job’, the second story in the series, is about a young woman who receives exciting news from her cricket coach. Eager to share it with her busy mother, who is attending to some guests, she messages her on WhatsApp and breaks the news. It creates a rare emotional moment of celebration for the mother-daughter, quite unknown to their guests.