All three major dating apps are running international marketing campaigns right now, and to varying levels of success…
How does dating differ across the world?
Promoting a dating app is enough of a minefield, without bringing local market and cultural differences into the mix. Get a flavour for just some of the local and cultural insights* the teams at Bumble, Hinge and Tinder will have had to consider as they developed their global campaigns this year.
In Brazil, the dating pace is fast. It’s common to kiss on a first date and public displays of affection more socially acceptable, while in India, PDAs are generally avoided on first dates.
Splitting the bill is common and punctuality is highly valued in Germany. First dates often take place in casual settings and “walking dates” are popular for getting to know each other. First dates are also commonly held in casual settings in Japan, but are more likely to occur in group blind outings called “goukon” – informal gatherings for people to meet potential partners. It is also common to have longer dates, that last up to half, or even a full day!
*Disclaimer: Please note that these observations are in a broader sense and generalisations; not everyone follows these norms in the mentioned countries.
With so many global variations in dating, how can dating apps run efficient multi-market campaigns without losing relevance to their local markets? Let’s take a look at how Bumble, Hinge and Tinder’s 2024 campaigns are going so far…
Bumble stumbles on 2024 global campaign and brand revamp
The in-house team at Bumble launched a major global campaign and revamped their visual identity earlier this year, running across digital and physical out of home in more than 10 countries using the brand line: “We’ve changed so you don’t have to.”
The campaign did well to maintain brand consistency given the very varied visuals contrasting modern imagery with classical artwork. Incorporation of the iconic Bumble yellow and brand assets made each asset ‘feel like’ Bumble, ensuring every touchpoint made an impact with that all-important GenZ demographic.
However, the creative made headlines for the wrong reasons when backlash from their global community resulted in ads referencing ‘celibacy’ being pulled from the global campaign.
“We made a mistake. Our ads referencing celibacy were an attempt to lean into a community frustrated by modern dating, and instead of bringing joy and humor, we unintentionally did the opposite. Some of the perspectives we heard were: from those who shared that celibacy is the only answer when reproductive rights are continuously restricted; from others for whom celibacy is a choice, one that we respect; and from the asexual community, for whom celibacy can have a particular meaning and importance, which should not be diminished. We are also aware that for many, celibacy may be brought on by harm or trauma.” (source: Bumble LinkedIn Post).
It remains to be seen how this swift action will impact the success of the international campaign and the growth of the brand.
Hinge global campaign goes to the afterlife. But not to every country the app is in…
Hinge is now on the 5th iteration of their iconic ‘designed to be deleted’ brand platform. The campaign encourages daters to find love in person, cheekily bringing dark humour and deeper storytelling on the fate of the beloved app icon, ‘Hingie’, after a match is made on Hinge.
But the scope of the campaign is quite limited, running across just the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia for now. It will be interesting to see how well the campaign will extend across all 25 markets Hinge is present in, if that is the plan for Hinge?
It would certainly be a good move given the strength of the existing brand platform and the efficiencies that could be gained by adapting a successful creative idea for global markets. However, given that the new ad focuses on the afterlife, the team will need to consider the varied religious beliefs of every local market. It may be a challenge to ensure the concept is understood, not offensive and compliant with regulations in each country, reducing the potential time and cost savings from taking the creative global.
First international campaign is a perfect match for Tinder brand consistency
Meanwhile, Tinder’s first ever global campaign is making headlines for different reasons, winning four Effie awards and gaining valuable attention and praise from GenZ for its maximalist style. The campaign spotlights a vast spectrum of relationship milestones which according to the campaign, start with a swipe on the Tinder app.
Crucially, the campaign was built on insights gathered from around the world that show a growing and changing notion of love since Tinder’s inception 10 years ago. It hits the spot for GenZers with a diverse casting (mostly non-white and nearly half LGBTQ+) and humorous references to climate change and astrology.
The campaign launched in major cities, namely LA, NYC, Berlin, Madrid, London and Paris, before rapidly expanding into SEA and is reported to be expanding into other regions such as Australia and South America later this year. Overall, Tinder’s 2024 campaign is a brilliant example of a adapting a single concept for a broad array of local markets while ensuring the brand messaging and positioning remain clear.
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