Messaging apps like WhatsApp have struggled to enter the American market, with most users in the United States opting to communicate via text messages. Despite this clear preference, over the last few months, WhatsApp has experienced a significant surge in US monthly active users.
It is widely believed that the primary reason American users prefer iMessage over WhatsApp is text message integration with Apple’s ecosystem.
This might soon change, as WhatsApp has turned its attention to the US market.
The Meta-owned app is one of the most popular apps in the world. As of right now, WhatsApp has 2 billion active monthly users and focuses its operations on markets such as India and Brazil.
India is by far the app’s largest market. The country represents 500 million monthly active users for the meta-owned company.
WhatsApp’s new marketing campaign targets US
WhatsApp’s increase in active monthly US users is directly proportional to a newly implemented US-focused marketing strategy. Over the last few years, WhatsApp has placed billboards and ads in key locations such as Times Square.
But what kicked off its newest marketing campaign was a TV ad with some of the cast members of the hit American sitcom “Modern Family.”
The commercial was massively popular with US audiences given that they got to see some fan-favorite characters return to the small screen.
This was, however, by no means a fan service commercial. WhatsApp used the characters in the show to explain that, unlike iMessage, WhatsApp doesn’t “discriminate” with different color text bubbles.
This strategy paid off for Meta and WhatsApp, given that in late July 2024, Mark Zuckerberg reported that WhatsApp currently has 100 million active US monthly users.
WhatsApp has leaned heavily on inclusivity
WhatsApp’s marketing strategy did not stop with the “Modern Family” TV ad. WhatsApp pushed for text inclusivity with a marketing campaign that placed a 200-foot-long bubble between the Apple and Samsung stores in a mall in Los Angeles.
Marketing has also focused on other features the app currently has, such as Meta AI being incorporated into WhatsApp and encrypted messages and calls.
It is clearer than ever that WhatsApp wants to position itself as the “bridge” between the two phone manufacturers. And why wouldn’t they? This strategy has proved to be successful in bringing WhatsApp more US active monthly users.
The significant milestone WhatsApp achieved in July 2024 must not be underestimated. More than 50% of WhatsApp monthly users in the United States use iPhones.
This means the surge in monthly active WhatsApp users in the United States can now be seen as a legitimate threat to iMessage’s dominance.
