Even if we’re more connected than ever, people are feeling lonelier today than at any point in history. Young people bear the brunt of the loneliness epidemic with the Cigna U.S. Loneliness Index identifying Gen Z as the most lonely generation in history. The uncomfortable truth is there are many platforms for superficial socializing but few that unlock the sense of genuine connection we crave.

Messenger has long been seen as an extension to Facebook and irrelevant to younger audiences social lives. While the platform is used by billions, these perceptual barriers left the brand lacking in spirit. To give Messenger a soul and showcase our vision for the future, Messenger rebranded under “That Close,” celebrating our belief that sharing life’s experiences brings us closer together even when we’re apart. These moments, even the small ones, forge enduring bonds and create greater feelings of acceptance, validation, and respect.

Looking to find Gen Z in the places they live online, we created the #ThatCloseMessenger challenge. Using the visual language of the medium, we invited creators to show the difference between friendships that are merely “close,” and friendships that are “That Close.” We pushed them to be as real and revealing as they wanted, just like you can be in the privacy of a Messenger chat with a close friend, and it took off from there.

Our aim was to reach a new audience of 18-24 year olds that already use Messenger, but doesn't connect with the brand,

and let them know that Messenger is now a place to hang out with their closest friends online just like in real life. By including the Messenger UI in all of our initial creator videos, we were able to contextualize Messenger as an app that catered to your realest relationships, not your public persona.

In partnership with TikTok’s Creative Lab and leading social agency, Whalar, we recruited a diverse group of influential creators to pilot the idea and provide the challenge with its initial push. These videos were featured on the top of the global Discover Tab and amplified in feed for worldwide reach. Each video was set to Saweetie and Doja Cat’s Grammy-nominated song “Best Friend.” Not only was it the perfect track to celebrate closeness, and an ideal creative partnership, it also allowed our content to show up in popular music searches across the platform. As a small but impactful detail, we incorporated the Messenger emoji in the hashtag, allowing the creator videos to be as unstructured and playful as possible while still maintaining high brand recall.

As Meta’s first foray into TikTok challenges, it was an explosive success, garnering over 12 billion views of over 1.7 million videos created over the life of the campaign by over 900 thousand individual creators. Beyond that, this campaign served as our introduction into a new medium where Gen Z and their sensibilities are king. Instead of seeing us as an interloper in a new space, Gen Z welcomed Messenger to the For You page, reflected in a 3.4pt lift in ad recall and awareness.