I live in a country where internet data is not something one can assume is available to all and sundry. For a large percentage of mobile data subscribers, the instant messaging application WhatsApp is the beginning and ending of the internet, especially when you couple that with how mobile network providers offer “cheap” packages that give access to WhatsApp only when compared to simply getting mobile data.
If I had a blog hit for every time someone asked me to copy and paste text from my blog so I could share it to them via WhatsApp in order for them to read, then my Zimbabwe traffic could possibly lead the stats.
A drama series produced by award-winning actor, producer, director Ben Mahaka (whom some Zimbabweans will recall as Tom Mbambo in Zimbabwean soap Studio 263 which graced ZBC in the early 2000s, who also did the Chipinge production Gaza and the YouTube exclusive hit series Mudiwa WePamoyo) premiered with a novel concept of being a WhatsApp Exlusive drama series Jabu’s HomeComing
According to the production’s PR Tinashe Nyaruwanga in a Techzim interview, “it is going to be like being part of a family WhatsApp group.” They are trying to tell the story in an interactive way, with the audience being part of the story as it unfolds via texts, chats, images, audios and videos (but videos are limited for data friendliness) via a WhatsApp Group.
The production generated a lot of hype and was trending on Social Media, which is how I came to know of it from people sharing group links with the WhatsApp groups filling up quickly…
Jabu’s Homecoming
The premise of the drama series is that Jabu, a Zimbabwean based in South Africa has a tragic death and the family creates a WhatsApp group to plan his repatriation. The story explores the family dynamics, tension and betrayal…
The drama series features main cast of six and will run for a week
Thoughts so far…
I love the premise and the novelty of a WhatsApp Exclusive and lot of people are curious as to where this leads, as an Original Zimbabwean WhatsApp Drama, will it set the bar and stand up to the hype? Some have started exiting the groups as it didn’t match their expectations…
I think its started off a bit slow after such a massive hype but I am sure it will build into an intricate drama series. The challenge might be for those discovering or returning to the series later on, how will they catch up since WhatsApp does not give the option to see earlier posts, maybe the production will do a Previously on… recap each day. I introduced a couple people to the drama series and I had to explain what was happening so they too could get up to speed.
To join the drama go to their website JabusHomecoming.com
You can also check out their social medias:
Twitter @HomecomingJabu Facebook jabuhomecoming
Becoming The Muse 
After that massive hype, l was definitely expecting more than what they served us today.
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Hahaha I was expecting them to drop short videos or the script of it, I wasn’t expecting it to be more like being in the terraces of a family WhatsApp group🤣🤣
~B
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😂😂😂😂
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Soooo. . . Did you stay to the end?
🤣🤣🤣🤣
~B
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Yes l did 😂. They are very strategic marketers hey 😂😂😂
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Yes l did 😂. They are very strategic marketers hey 😂😂😂
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Very!! In fact let me write the post 💻 maybe some strategy may come my way
~B
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Looking forward to that post
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I know it was pegged as a “WhatsApp” drama, but owing to the limit on group participants on WhatsApp, something like Telegram would have served better methinks
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And a Telegram channel lets you scroll all the previously posted media too (maybe should include it as a backup resource for those who want to catch-up 🤔) but I guess from a demographic point of view WhatsApp has way more users as Telegram does not have data bundles.
~B
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This is so fascinating to me 😂 I am impressed.
Now, those who keep leaving the group chat need to behave 😂
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Haha so it turns out the thing was a very elaborate advert campaign… Will give the scoop in a follow up blog post
~B
PS someone commented how the most drama was from the people leaving group 🤣🤣🤣
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Well, this post answers my question from the other one.
Sounds cool but I can see how it gets kind of boring quickly.
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Yeah one would need to keep short yet come with ways to keep people hooked like I don’t know oh. . . Randomly letting people decide what happens next like those choose your adventure books…
~B
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Maybe you’ll be one of the show runners next time?
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Funny story, actually reached out to the production team… You never know🤣
~B
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I totally missed all that, maybe I was not their target market.
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