People Come Together to Reignite a Community in First WhatsApp Brand Campaign

WhatsApp chose Brazil to launch its first brand campaign in the world. The first film of the campaign ‘Fica só entre vocês’ (‘It’s between you’) tells the story of a community that got together on WhatsApp to help a samba school that loses all allegories in a fire ahead of Carnival. Through the app, members of a rival school organise to collect donations and help rebuild their warehouse. Agency AlmapBBDO signs the campaign.

The film is based on several real, similar stories that happened throughout the years, including the one of Independente Tricolor, a samba school from São Paulo that faced a similar situation in 2019 and relied on its competitors’ help to rebuild through donations, shelter, and sharing of their warehouse so Independente’s team could work and live. 

The film production involved a team of 200 people in a warehouse, under the heat of over 40°C, and counted on the participation of the community to realistically convey the emotional connection and solidarity of the people, who mobilise and communicate daily through WhatsApp. "Brazil is one of the main markets for the company worldwide, so we decided to launch the campaign here and pay tribute to the solidarity of Brazilians inspired by one of the country’s dearest traditions,” says Taciana Lopes, head of consumer marketing at Facebook Brazil. 

The campaign also reinforces the company's positioning: more than a messaging app, WhatsApp allows users to establish real connections through private communication and empower their communities.

Throughout this year, the global WhatsApp campaign will launch local creations in different countries. Like the debut film, dedicated to Carnival in Brazil, the productions will signify the tagline ‘Fica só entre vocês’ (‘It’s between you’) within cultural moments of these places, showing how WhatsApp participates in the intimate lives of people and collective experiences according to the particularities of each region. Some of the creations will be co-productions between countries. In addition to AlmapBBDO, BBDO México, BBDO Berlin, BBDO India, and BBDO San Francisco are also involved. 

As part of a multiplatform campaign, several shorter versions will also be shown on digital channels across the country, and movie theatres are also part of the 360 media plan.