WhatsApp has 2.5 billion global daily users, but many of them didn’t know the emotional value that the brand provided in people’s lives.

To drive preference, WhatsApp needed to drive brand love, so we found a way to tap into an underrepresented yet global audience that would garner love and support in a global way.

WhatsApp needed to make it clear to this audience who they are, what they stood for, and that they were a brand that believes in the power of transformational connection.

Ultimately, WhatsApp needed to shift people’s relationship with the brand from a functional one to an emotional one.

People from cross-cultural backgrounds represent the core of WhatsApp’s user base, so to connect with this audience, WhatsApp partnered with Meta’s very first brand ambassador – NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Giannis had a natural connection to WhatsApp – he felt alone when he first moved to the US, and WhatsApp helped him stay connected to his family. But most importantly, his story deeply resonated with cross-cultural audiences that felt they needed to choose between their cultural identities.

Giannis’ identity was chosen for him when the world named him “The Greek Freak,” so we wanted to give him an opportunity to tell his cross-cultural story on his own terms.

The +234 hoodie was a collaboration with Post Imperial and local Nigerian artisans all connected via WhatsApp. It featured Giannis’ Yourba family name, Adetokunbo, and not only played on Giannis’ jersey number, 34, but paid homage to +234, Nigeria’s international calling code.

The +234 Hoodie was an ode to Nigeria - a collaboration between Nigerian-American designer Niyi Okuboyejo, Giannis, and Nigerian dye artisans / tailors - all connected via WhatsApp.

The hoodie, made from corduroy chenille, features Giannis’ jersey number, 34, converted to +234,Nigeria’s International dialing code. The back of the hoodie notes Giannis’ Yoruba family name, Adetokunbo.

We sourced corduroy chenille in NYC. The fabric was then hand dyed in Lagos using the Adire technique (Yoruba: tie and dye), using natural dye materials.

To bring this hoodie to the world, we needed a moment as monumental as the story we were looking to tell.

Because NBA players are often known for the show-stopping outfits that they wear into the arena, WhatsApp strategically chose NBA All-Star Weekend as the perfect opportunity to premiere the +234 hoodie and announce their partnership with Giannis.

The hoodie premiered at NBA All-Star Weekend and served as WhatsApp’s official announcement of the partnership between Giannis and the brand.

Social coverage from WhatsApp handles generated 54M+ impressions, while earned media generated an additional 185M+ impressions, $370K in media value, and 89% positive sentiment in conversations surrounding the partnership. Outlets like Fast Company, GQ, and Bloomberg picked up the story, proactively extending coverage throughout Nigeria, Brazil, and Greece, while the hoodie also garnered promotions on social handles like @bleacherreport, @leaguefits, and @highsnobiety. The social buzz around Giannis and WhatsApp grew by 277% as Nigerians shared their excitement for the partnership – ultimately helping WhatsApp capture the attention of a global moment and deliver a partnership announcement that expanded well beyond a traditional press release.