‘Out of Focus’ by The Players' Tribune x WhatsApp

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

As a leader in athlete storytelling, The Players’ Tribune (TPT) has a unique ability to connect brand partners with like minded athletes in order to go deeper into their sports engagement and connect to target audiences in a culturally relevant and authentic way.

It is this unique position within the sports industry that led WhatsApp to partner with TPT in order to connect audiences to their brand message around privacy as well as new features. However, the technical nature of this topic made it difficult to deeply connect with audiences at scale. TPT combated this challenge by leveraging authentic athlete stories to make this topic more accessible and culturally relevant.

The resulting video campaign, ‘Out of Focus’ featured Olympians Dina Asher-Smith and Adam Peaty, and professional footballer, Jesse Lingard as they each dive into their personal thoughts on the importance of privacy within their lives, both on and offline.

How does this represent “Excellence in Engagement”?

Brands are often looking to leverage celebrities or athletes to create bigger splashes among their target audiences—especially in industries that are especially saturated. However, there has been a recent shift in audience sentiment where having a well-known ambassador is simply not enough.

Audiences are looking for authenticity in everything they interact with, specifically from companies that are offering a service or product that would be used often, such as WhatsApp.

With this shift, many companies are realizing that without an authentic connection to their product or mission, big-name sponsors or ambassadors are seen more as expensive ploys than well-intentioned campaigns, leading to harsher criticism and more difficulty in growing brand awareness and loyalty.

While TPT has always been rooted in authentic storytelling, this shift in audience expectation has further proven the need for genuine connection in branded content. ‘Out of Focus’ was able to engage with audiences because it led with true, open, and honest storytelling that related to the topic of privacy in an organic way.

The success of The Players’ Tribune and ‘Out of Focus’ proves that in order to be successful, content must be first and foremost, authentic especially given that audience attitudes fluctuate rapidly.

Objective

As a leader in athlete storytelling, The Players’ Tribune (TPT) has a unique ability to connect brand partners with like-minded athletes in order to go deeper into their sports engagement and connect to target audiences in a culturally relevant and authentic way. Since its inception, The Players’ Tribune has built robust relationships with the athlete community based solely on trust and respect, enabling these athletes to feel comfortable discussing their personal experiences with an array of topics.

It is this unique position within the sports industry that led WhatsApp to partner with TPT in order to connect audiences to their brand message around privacy. With online privacy and security moving to the forefront of user conversation, WhatsApp wanted to raise awareness of their new privacy messaging and features including end-to-end encryption, two factor authentication, hidden messages, block and report and online presence. However, the technical nature of this topic made it difficult to deeply connect with audiences at scale. TPT combated this challenge by leveraging authentic athlete stories to make this topic more accessible and culturally relevant.

The resulting video campaign, ‘Out of Focus’ featured some of sports biggest names discussing their own experiences with privacy and its importance.

Strategy & Execution

‘Out of Focus’ features Olympians Dina Asher-Smith & Adam Peaty, & professional footballer, Jesse Lingard as they dive into their personal thoughts on the importance of privacy within their lives, both on/offline. Asher-Smith talks about the stigma around women’s periods in sports, Peaty discusses the struggle of balancing career & family life, & Lingard shares how having his brother by his side has kept him grounded during his transition to fame.

By discussing privacy in this way, ‘Out of Focus’ makes a somewhat abstract topic more accessible by putting it into a more universal context. We all have aspects of our lives that we want to be in control of who, how & if/when we decide to share, as do these athletes. By putting the human element of this conversation first, it’s able to connect with everyone - not just sports or technology buffs.

In addition to this message being organically woven into each story, the videos also featured the athletes using WhatsApp in their own way - Asher-Smith & Peaty messaged their friends/coaches, while Lingard video called his brother - showcasing the brand’s new features’ real-life applications.

The content was shared organically from each athlete, TPT’s owned channels & Minute Media’s (TPT’s parent company) global distribution network.

Organizations

• The Players' Tribune
• WhatsApp
• Publicis Media
• Spark Foundry
  
  

Credits

The Players' Tribune

WhatsApp

Publicis Media 

Spark Foundry