This WhatsApp campaign uses real WhatsApp messages to reveal the Afghan women’s football team’s escape, blending authentic storytelling with social impact—

Media / Entertainment

We Are Ayenda (case study) - WhatsApp, Meta | Clapboard Ad Archive

Other Media / Entertainment Campaigns

DISCLAIMER:

86

We Are Ayenda (case study) - WhatsApp, Meta | Clapboard Ad Archive

WhatsApp’s 2024 campaign We Are Ayenda, created in-house and launched in collaboration with Meta, marks a significant milestone in storytelling within the media and technology landscape by chronicling the harrowing yet inspiring journey of the Afghan Youth Women’s National Football Team as they escape Taliban rule. This half-hour documentary, produced by The Lab—Anonymous Content’s creative incubator—and directed by an award-winning filmmaker, premiered during the Women’s World Cup and is now available on Prime Video, strategically aligning the brand with global conversations on women’s empowerment and sport as a catalyst for unity. The film intimately captures the intersection of sport, migration, and human rights by foregrounding the crucial role WhatsApp’s encrypted messaging played in facilitating secure communication that ultimately enabled the players’ safe evacuation, a narrative that reinforces the brand’s core promise of privacy and reliability in high-stakes environments. Unlike conventional tech advertising, the campaign embeds WhatsApp’s product functionality directly into the plot, illustrating how real messages and voice notes exchanged via the platform were essential to coordinating an escape that carried life-or-death consequences, an approach that sits squarely in Clapboard’s FORMAT#5—Exemplary Story. By focusing on the authentic voices of these young athletes and the humanitarian activism of their former captain, the campaign elevates WhatsApp beyond a communication tool to a lifeline and symbol of resilience under oppression, offering a rare and intimate perspective on the challenges faced by displaced Afghan women denied fundamental rights to education, work, and sport. This creative choice reflects an astute understanding of evolving consumer expectations for brands to engage meaningfully with social impact narratives rather than traditional product push, positioning WhatsApp and Meta as committed enablers of human connection in crisis. The campaign’s critical acclaim, including the Cannes Lions 2024 Entertainment Grand Prix and multiple Lions in Entertainment and Film categories, underscores its success in merging cause-driven content with strategic brand positioning across the electronics, technology, media, and sports sectors. Clapboard rates this campaign 86/100. This campaign matters to the industry because it demonstrates how embedding a technology product authentically within real-world stories of courage and survival can redefine brand purpose and audience engagement in an increasingly socially conscious market.

Credits

Client

WhatsApp, Meta

Agency

In-house

Brand

WhatsApp, Palo Alto.

Creative Director

Creative X Palo Alto, Modern Arts Los Angeles and The Lab (the creative incubator within the award: winning production company Anonymous Content).

Production House

Even Odd San Francisco.

Category Mind Map

48%

The "We Are Ayenda" campaign by WhatsApp and Meta leverages the power of authentic storytelling to underscore the brand’s commitment to secure, private communication as an enabler of resilience and connection in crisis. By focusing on the extraordinary real-life journey of the Afghan Youth Women’s National Football Team escaping Taliban rule, the campaign reinforces WhatsApp’s core proposition: safeguarding critical communication channels in high-stakes environments. The narrative pivots on how WhatsApp’s encrypted messaging facilitated life-saving coordination remotely, emphasizing the platform’s reliability and indispensability when privacy and security are paramount. Strategically, the campaign taps into a culturally and emotionally charged moment by debuting during the Women’s World Cup, aligning with global conversations on women’s empowerment and sports as a unifying force. This creative approach links the brand to broader themes of human rights, migration, and female athletic ambition, resonating deeply with audiences attuned to social justice and international affairs. By showcasing the real voices and messages exchanged, the documentary delivers an intimate, immersive experience that transcends traditional tech advertising. The partnership with a respected filmmaker and an acclaimed production house adds credibility and narrative depth, while distribution on Prime Video extends reach beyond typical digital platforms, targeting socially conscious viewers in the U.S. and Afghanistan. This approach reflects a nuanced market insight: consumers increasingly seek brands that stand for meaningful social impact and authentic representation. Instead of promoting product features directly, the campaign highlights the platform’s role as a trustworthy facilitator of human connection under extreme circumstances, reinforcing brand value through emotional engagement and storytelling. The campaign’s critical acclaim and multiple Cannes Lions awards validate its success in merging cause-driven content with strategic brand positioning in the competitive media and technology landscape.

FORMAT#5 EXEMPLARY STORY — Tells a story where the product plays a vital role in the plot or resolution. This campaign fits the "Exemplary Story" format because it intimately chronicles the real-life dramatic journey of the Afghan Youth Women’s National Football Team as they escape danger, with WhatsApp’s secure messaging playing a decisive, plot-driving role in the story’s resolution. The product’s function—facilitating secret safe communication—is embedded in the narrative arc, with real WhatsApp messages specifically enabling the team’s escape. There is no exaggeration, symbolism, or parody; nor is it a problem/solution setup in the classic sense. Instead, the documentary serves as an authentically resolved story, centered on the real impact WhatsApp had at a critical moment, making FORMAT #5 the best fit. ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats

1. Signal – Positioned as the leading secure and privacy-focused messaging app, Signal differentiates itself through end-to-end encryption and a strict no-data-collection policy, appealing to users prioritizing confidential communication and digital rights activism worldwide. 2. Telegram – Known for its speed, cloud-based architecture, and large group capabilities, Telegram markets itself as a versatile messaging platform blending privacy with feature-rich tools, attracting communities, activists, and content creators seeking scalable and customizable communication. 3. YouTube Originals – As a premium content platform under Google/Alphabet, YouTube Originals focuses on documentary storytelling and exclusive series, leveraging massive global reach and creator networks to engage audiences with socially impactful and entertainment-driven films. 4. Netflix – Dominating global streaming, Netflix invests heavily in original documentaries and socially conscious content, positioning itself as the go-to platform for high-quality storytelling that combines entertainment with cultural relevance and emotional resonance. 5. ESPN+ – As a leader in sports media, ESPN+ integrates exclusive documentaries and live sports streaming, targeting sports enthusiasts by providing immersive storytelling and comprehensive access to sports content, blending technology with passion for athletic culture.

Q: What is WhatsApp - We Are Ayenda (case study) about? A: WhatsApp - We Are Ayenda (case study) is a 2024 documentary campaign created by WhatsApp and The Lab, the creative incubator within Anonymous Content, released in Afghanistan and the United States. The film tells the real-life story of the Afghan Youth Women's National Football Team and their courageous escape from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan in 2021. Directed by Amber Fares, the half-hour documentary highlights the bravery and resilience of these young athletes, focusing on how secure WhatsApp messaging enabled their safe coordination and escape. The campaign debuted during the Women’s World Cup and is now available on Prime Video, emphasizing the power of sport and secure communication in crisis. Q: What creative device does WhatsApp - We Are Ayenda (case study) use? A: WhatsApp - We Are Ayenda (case study) employs the FORMAT #5 EXEMPLARY STORY creative device as classified by Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy. This approach tells a true, dramatic narrative where the product—WhatsApp’s secure messaging—plays a vital role in the plot’s resolution. The documentary intimately chronicles the Afghan Youth Women’s National Football Team’s escape, with real WhatsApp texts and voice messages embedded in the story, demonstrating the platform’s critical function in enabling safe communication. The campaign avoids exaggeration or symbolism, presenting an authentic, resolved story centered on the product’s real-life impact. Q: What is the campaign proposition for WhatsApp - We Are Ayenda (case study)? A: The campaign proposition for WhatsApp - We Are Ayenda (case study) positions WhatsApp as a vital enabler of secure, private communication that fosters resilience and connection in high-stakes environments. By telling the extraordinary real-life journey of the Afghan Youth Women’s National Football Team escaping Taliban rule, the campaign communicates to socially conscious audiences that WhatsApp safeguards critical communication channels when privacy and security are paramount. It aligns the brand with themes of women’s empowerment, human rights, migration, and sport’s unifying power, emphasizing authentic storytelling over direct product promotion to reinforce WhatsApp’s role as a trustworthy facilitator of human connection. Q: How does WhatsApp - We Are Ayenda (case study) rank in Clapboard's archive? A: WhatsApp - We Are Ayenda (case study) holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 86/100. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as assessed by Clapboard’s global ad archive. The rating acknowledges the campaign’s successful integration of authentic storytelling with strategic brand positioning, its emotional engagement, and its impact within the competitive media and technology landscape. Q: Who are the competitors in Meta's category? A: In Meta’s category, key competitors include Signal, which positions itself as the leading secure and privacy-focused messaging app appealing to users prioritizing confidential communication and digital rights activism. Telegram competes by offering a fast, cloud-based messaging platform with large group capabilities, attracting communities and content creators seeking scalable and customizable communication. YouTube Originals provides premium documentary storytelling and exclusive series with massive global reach, engaging audiences through socially impactful films. Netflix dominates global streaming with original documentaries that combine entertainment and cultural relevance. ESPN+ targets sports enthusiasts by blending immersive storytelling with comprehensive live sports streaming.