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WhatsApp’s privacy campaign ‘It’s coming home’ brings new TVC with star badminton player HS Prannoy
Mumbai: On Friday, WhatsApp announced the launch of a new film under its privacy campaign in India. The campaign is focused on message privacy and WhatsApp’s interlocking layers of protection that come together to offer users more control and privacy over their conversations.
Conceptualised by WhatsApp and directed by Jess Kohl, the second film under the campaign “It’s coming home” features Indian badminton player HS Prannoy, who created history by winning the Thomas Cup title in May this year.
The film brilliantly depicts the value of privacy and how the team’s WhatsApp group, cleverly named “It’s coming home,” provided them with a secure, private setting where they could not only plan their strategy but also express their emotions in times of self-doubt.
The film focuses on WhatsApp’s privacy features, such as end-to-end encrypted video calls, privacy settings like last seen, and hidden online presence, which guarantee users the privacy and security to share their most vulnerable moments and life-altering dreams, empowering them to live their dreams in private until they are ready to be shared with the rest of the world.
The film comes after WhatsApp’s earlier-in-August launch of a global brand campaign that emphasised the messaging app’s built-in layers of privacy protections added over time and how various privacy features enable and empower people to have meaningful conversations in their most vulnerable moments.
Embed Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCsz33JHUVk
Speaking about the campaign, Meta India director of marketing Avinash Pant said, “WhatsApp’s mission is to connect the world privately and this campaign highlights the multiple ways we defend privacy so users can feel free and confident with their messages. Through this film, we want to celebrate our national champions who brought home the coveted Thomas Cup and demonstrate how WhatsApp provided them a safe space where they felt empowered to have private conversations even during vulnerable moments because they knew their messages were always protected and secure, no matter where they were. We want to show people the closeness that’s possible with WhatsApp’s built-in layers of protection without compromising on the assurance of privacy and personal space to live your dreams in private until they’re ready to be shared with the world.”
Commenting on the film, Prannoy said, “Being a part of the Thomas Cup squad was an honour, and I knew to win the title as a team, we had to communicate as a team and go through those moments of hardship, emotional vulnerability, and self-doubt together. WhatsApp was that safe space for us where we could have conversations, strategize and share our most private moments, thoughts and ambitions away from the public eye. Every time I looked at the WhatsApp group name “It’s coming home” it gave me the confidence and fervour to make my dreams a reality. In a country that loves cricket, my dream was to make people love badminton as much as I do and to inspire the next generation of players to believe in themselves and the sport.”
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Ad:tech honours 2026: Full list of winners announced
Expanded awards spotlight winners across 22 categories as industry doubles down on intelligent automation
NEW DELHI: Marketing’s tech elite took the spotlight as the ad:tech honours 2026 returned with a sharper focus on AI, data and immersive media, signalling how deeply technology now underpins brand strategy. Held at Yashobhoomi on March 17, the second edition drew industry leaders to celebrate innovation that is reshaping engagement and performance.
Presented with the International Advertising Association India chapter and new partner Huella, the awards expanded from 8 to 22 categories, tracking the rapid convergence of creativity, automation and analytics.
The winners’ list reads like a snapshot of marketing’s future. In affiliate and partner marketing, Lyxel & Flamingo – Boat and Paytm Ads – Giva took silver. Mobavenue Media Private Limited struck gold in AI-driven dynamic creative optimisation, alongside a silver for Laqshya Media Limited.
Creative AI collaboration saw Rediffusion Brand Solutions Private Limited win gold, with Saltinc Consulting Private Limited securing silver. Laqshya Media Limited continued its strong run, taking gold in AI conversation agents and adding multiple wins across categories, including silver in GenAI-led creative and both gold and silver in interactive DOOH campaigns for Tanishq and Tata Coffee.
Predictive AI honours went to Strong Metrics and Tyroo, both silver, while Orient Bell Limited picked up silver in immersive retail tech. In GenAI-led creative, Laqshya Media Limited, Salt – Kotak and Sumimoto each secured silver, reflecting the crowded race in generative creativity.
Publicis bagged silver in influencer management and gold in performance marketing, where it shared the stage with Arm Worldwide and The Trade Desk, both silver. Glad U Came Private Limited stood out with gold in influencer measurement and analytics.
Marketing automation saw CereOne Media Pvt. Ltd. and Globale Media win silver, while ADMOTT Private Limited claimed silver in OTT innovation.
Programmatic media categories highlighted the shift to advanced targeting and connected screens. Mobavenue Media Private Limited clinched gold in connected TV advertising, with Animmoov Digital Media Pvt Ltd – Asus and Lyxel and Flamingo taking silver. Cheggout Services Private Limited won silver in retail media advertising, while Paytm Ads – Versuni secured gold.
On social platforms, Vayner Media India took gold in community and UGC engagement, with Under 25 – Oppo winning silver. Segumento rounded off the list with silver in the innovation category.
Jaswant Singh, country managing director at ad:tech India, underscored the momentum, saying generative AI and data-driven decision-making are now central to marketing impact. Neena Dasgupta, IAA mancom member and chief executive and founder at The Salt Inc Consulting, added that the awards celebrate not just technology, but “the people, the creativity, and the relentless effort behind it.”
Backed by Comexposium Group, ad:tech New Delhi has long tracked digital disruption. Now, with the honours, it is rewarding those who are not just adapting to change but engineering it.
In an industry racing towards automation, the message from 2026 is unmistakable. The future of marketing will be written not just in ideas, but in algorithms.
