Are We Swiping Left On Dating Apps?
Matchmaking is big business — the number of online dating users is expected to reach 462.5m by 2029. How daters date says a lot about how people form relationships and brands' role in culture. As we are all in the business of creating meaningful connections, this month's IceBreaker explores what brands can learn from the cultural shift in dating.
Let’s skip the small talk
Research by greetings cards company Thortful found that 53% of Brits meet their partners offline, and dating app makers are responding with marketing and PR that prioritise meaningful conversations, shared values, and deeper connections.
There’s a lot to love about Mattr, which markets itself as the world’s first inclusive, neurodivergent-friendly dating app. It aims to change the narrative and create genuine connections with real people.
The app's recent OOH campaign tackles users’ frustrations head-on with bold taglines, including ‘less emojis, more emotions,’ ‘less swipe, more swoon,’ and ‘less predictable, more personal,’ flipping the script on traditional new-year dating tropes. Mattr urges singles to focus on community and the quality of their connections.
The campaign taps into current dating sentiment, but how could Mattr’s marketing connect with the market on a deeper level?
Can we start over?
78 per cent of dating app users reportedly feel “emotionally, mentally, or physically exhausted” by them. The Thursday app recently announced its response to this shift by shutting its app, citing a decline in interest.
Commenting on its new strategic direction, Co-Founder Matt McNeill said, “Thursday will focus on greener pastures and double down on what we really believe: that meeting other singles in the real world is better on every level than meeting online.”
The once-a-week, IRL-focused app that has long since positioned itself as the antidote to ‘swipe fatigue’ is returning to its roots, and it sounds like Thursday lovers will be here for it.
It’s not me, it’s you.
Matchmaking is becoming increasingly raw and unfiltered, and those looking for connections embrace heartbreak, rejection, and honesty to find their person.
Enter “Pop the Balloon,” the YouTube dating show that blends the thrill of IRL spontaneity with a digital twist. It’s a playful, brutally honest form of speed dating where participants “reveal” their matches by asking straightforward questions and popping balloons.
Created by Arlette Amuli and Bolia Matundu, Pop the Balloon has been adapted by popular YouTubers, including Sidemen, whose version has had 11m views to date. Dave Chappelle also used the format for an SNL skit:
There are a few lessons after the laughter: First, the principles of offline gamification strike a chord with audiences online. Second, audiences are open to fresh formats that allow for unpolished expression. Third, insight-driven creative ideas with strong branding and a simple execution drive virality.
Make the first move
Isn’t everyone talking about Feeld? The app came up in a recent conversation with one of our clients who met their partner on the app.
Marketed as the ‘dating app for the curious’, Feeld takes a unique approach to inspiring behaviour change and exploring interests by encouraging members to get to know themselves and potential matches better, all while centring inclusivity. With over 20 gender and sexual identity options, initiatives like ‘Text Me When You're Done’, and the launch of AFM, a print magazine, Feeld boldly demonstrates how well it understands its communities and its role in building better connections.
Back on the market?
How we meet, match and market is changing, and singles are ditching the endless scroll in favour of something they can feel. If London—where there are five times more singles than couples — is anything to go by, this shift isn’t just a trend; the future of matchmaking lies in blending digital convenience with print and IRL moments where daters can be themselves, kink and all.
Every brand can learn a lot from the cultural shift that’s happening in the Online Dating market, which is projected to hit $3.17bn this year.
From Feeld IRL and Tinder’s Hot Sets, where rising DJs pop up in unexpected locations, to the global expansion of Thursday with Thursday Events, where daters buy tickets to attend local or international events, centring people and communities in your marketing and PR strategy is crucial to staying ahead.
Community-centred campaign strategies keep brands authentic and relevant and crucially drive brand growth. Let’s swipe right on that.