Mumbai: WhatsApp has launched the India edition of its global brand campaign to create awareness about its interlocking layers of protection that offer people more privacy and control over their conversations while messaging.
The campaign focuses on educating users on WhatsApp’s built-in layers of privacy protection that have been added over the years, including three new privacy features: leaving groups silently; controlling who can see when you're online; and screenshot blocking for ‘view once’ messages.
The new features were announced earlier this month as part of a global campaign, adding to a host of existing privacy features and demonstrating how WhatsApp’s multiple layers of privacy controls come together to provide users more protection when having a truly private conversation when messaging.
Conceptualised by BBDO India and directed by Prakash Varma, the campaign film brings alive a heartwarming exchange between a father and son in an intensely personal moment, showing how WhatsApp’s built-in layers of protection allow them the privacy and security to have a meaningful conversation when it matters the most.
Embed Link: https://youtu.be/EcEZCWyfFCc
The film depicts WhatsApp’s promise and strength of "privacy" through features like end-to-end encryption, two-step verification, and hidden online presence, enabling the duo to express themselves freely despite being surrounded by crowds in a restaurant or football stadium.
Talking about the campaign, Meta India director-marketing Avinash Pant said, "At WhatsApp, privacy is in our DNA and over the years, we have consistently added layers of protection through product-features that empower people with more control over their messages. This is our way of extending awareness and assurance to our users on how the new and existing built-in layers of protection help you message freely without compromising on your privacy."
He added, "We want users to know that they always have a safe and private space on WhatsApp, no matter where they are! We feel it's a great privilege that two billion people around the world trust WhatsApp to deliver their personal messages every day, and this campaign is an affirmation of WhatsApp’s continued commitment to protecting their private conversations."
Commenting on the campaign and its creative treatment, BBDO India chair and chief creative officer Josy Paul said, "WhatsApp’s mission is to connect the world privately, and this campaign captures the essence of people feeling empowered to have private conversations even during vulnerable moments because their messages remain protected and secure."
Speaking on the film, he said, "The film demonstrates WhatsApp being that 'safe space’ for people like the father and son who have a very private and emotional conversation amidst hordes of people. You don’t know the exact exchange between the characters, you can’t see their messages because they're private, but the simple shots of crowds disappearing, doors locking, CCTVs turning away, demonstrate how WhatsApp’s privacy features continue to provide the much-needed intimacy and protection throughout their most private moments."
Over the coming weeks, WhatsApp aims to educate users on each privacy feature through short films, which will highlight their benefits and the steps to activate them, so that users can take advantage of WhatsApp’s built-in layers of protection.
