WHATSAPP - NAIJA ODYSSEY
Project
WHATSAPP - NAIJA ODYSSEY
Project
WHATSAPP - NAIJA ODYSSEY
Client
Client
Role
Concept, creative direction, script, social, talent interview, design, writing
Role
Concept, creative direction, script, social, talent interview, design, writing
Market
Global
Market
Global
Year
2022
Year
2022
Creative Sustainability: Tell one story to honor billions.
We launched WhatsApp’s first global platform and honored billions of their user stories by telling just one — NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has struggled his whole life to define his identity as both a proud Nigerian and Greek man. We enabled Giannis to proudly claim his dual identity for the first time, and inspired countless more to do the same, by creating a film about his life for Amazon Prime.
“A standout moment for the company this year”
–Vivian Odior - Head of Marketing, WhatsApp
The award-winning film Naija Odyssey is a Nigerian take on the timeless Greek story The Odyssey. We reinterpreted the ancient fable to tell the story of Giannis fighting for find his own sense of self. The film was shot across three continents and became the first long form film WhatsApp has ever produced.
We didn’t go the traditional script route. This is a fresh approach to telling a superstar’s life story”
— Ghada Soufan, Global Brand Marketing Manager
DEFINING A BRAND PLATFORM FOR FOR 2 BILLION
We lead the development of the new platform There’s No One Like Us and made it a a rallying cry for countless people like Giannis who are proud of their mixed heritage. The film and platform launched simultaneously around the world and made Giannis WhatsApp’s first global brand ambassador.
GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP TEASE
We hijacked the viral NBA All-Star Game fitcheck to tease the Giannis x WhatsApp partnership. Giannis wore a custom hoodie designed and handcrafted by Post Imperial in Nigeria that proudly displayed the never-before-seen Nigerian spelling of his name and the Nigerian calling code +234. When the world press was in attendance, our hoodie was front and center.
NYC FILM PREMIER
Naija Odyssey premiered at the Metrograph Theatre in New York's Lower East Side with Giannis, his family and hundreds of the city's cultural diasporas — a universal celebration of mixed heritage.
Produced in partnership with our friends at Translation, Partizan, Lede and Post Imperial.
Creative Sustainability: Tell one story to honor billions.
We launched WhatsApp’s first global platform and honored billions of their user stories by telling just one — NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has struggled his whole life to define his identity as both a proud Nigerian and Greek man. We enabled Giannis to proudly claim his dual identity for the first time, and inspired countless more to do the same, by creating a film about his life for Amazon Prime.
“A standout moment for the company this year”
–Vivian Odior - Head of Marketing, WhatsApp
The award-winning film Naija Odyssey is a Nigerian take on the timeless Greek story The Odyssey. We reinterpreted the ancient fable to tell the story of Giannis fighting for find his own sense of self. The film was shot across three continents and became the first long form film WhatsApp has ever produced.
We didn’t go the traditional script route. This is a fresh approach to telling a superstar’s life story”
— Ghada Soufan, Global Brand Marketing Manager
DEFINING A BRAND PLATFORM FOR FOR 2 BILLION
We lead the development of the new platform There’s No One Like Us and made it a a rallying cry for countless people like Giannis who are proud of their mixed heritage. The film and platform launched simultaneously around the world and made Giannis WhatsApp’s first global brand ambassador.
GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP TEASE
We hijacked the viral NBA All-Star Game fitcheck to tease the Giannis x WhatsApp partnership. Giannis wore a custom hoodie designed and handcrafted by Post Imperial in Nigeria that proudly displayed the never-before-seen Nigerian spelling of his name and the Nigerian calling code +234. When the world press was in attendance, our hoodie was front and center.
NYC FILM PREMIER
Naija Odyssey premiered at the Metrograph Theatre in New York's Lower East Side with Giannis, his family and hundreds of the city's cultural diasporas — a universal celebration of mixed heritage.
Produced in partnership with our friends at Translation, Partizan, Lede and Post Imperial.