WhatsApp: Encrypted Journeys

Encrypted Journeys used animation to explain what happens to a private message as it travels between people. WhatsApp interface elements and stickers leave a phone and turn into coded symbols before reaching the recipient. Encryption becomes something viewers can follow on screen.

The stories drew on experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their focus was the personal connection behind each exchange, with the visual treatment showing how privacy protects that conversation.

Ear Lesson

An animated piano teacher plays beside a phone during a video lesson. — Watch on Vimeo

Boot Camp

An animated phone screen shows an incoming video call from a fitness instructor. — Watch on Vimeo

First Date

Animated stickers and encryption symbols float above a phone showing an incoming video call. — Watch on Vimeo

Visual development

Art&Graft’s production account shows how the team developed the characters and represented encryption with moving symbols. The films follow a piano lesson, a fitness group, and a first date. The same characters and symbols also appeared in campaign stills and carousels.

Green encryption symbols beside the campaign’s colourful stickers, emoji, and messaging icons. — Encryption symbols and message stickers developed for the campaign.

Sketches and colour studies of a fitness instructor and older exercise-group participants. — Character studies for Boot Camp.

Character costume studies showing the two women in First Date in different outfits. — Costume and character studies for First Date.

Symbols in motion

Art&Graft’s motion study shows how the encryption symbols turn and change shape.

Rows of green three-dimensional encryption symbols and padlocks. — Watch Art&Graft’s motion study on Vimeo

Coverage and further reading

Art&Graft — the studio’s full account, with films, character development, and motion studies.
Creative Review — an interview about the studio’s collaboration with WhatsApp. Full access requires sign-in.

Sources and credits

Character designer Kristian Duffy’s portfolio records his work with Art&Graft and was published in August 2020. That date establishes the work’s public appearance in 2020; the exact launch date remains unconfirmed.

Animation, visual development, and motion study: Art&Graft.

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