Bumble Partners with Gymshark to Connect Singles Via Fitness
Contributed by: kellyseal on Friday, April 14 2023 @ 10:33 am
Last modified on Wednesday, May 24 2023 @ 12:39 pm
Dating app Bumble has partnered with Gymshark to create a UK-based ad campaign centered around fitness, a popular first date activity among younger daters.
According to The Drum, the campaign focuses on compatibility for singles, and how they can bond more easily over shared interests. “For Dates That Workout” includes new interest badges that users can add to their profiles, including weightlifting, HIIT and bodybuilding, which were chosen by Bumble based on what’s most popular with Gymshark members. Yahoo! Life noted that the most popular workout activities for Bumble dates were running, and HIIT, yoga and Pilates classes.
Bumble found that 22 percent of Gen Z and millennials have exercised or attended a fitness class on a first date, according to The Drum[*1] . This has been especially popular since the pandemic, where meeting for drinks has taken a backseat to more active dates. According to their research, 32 percent of singles have attended a fitness class with the intention to meet someone.
In fact, Gen Z and Millennials prefer fitness-based dates over a meet-up involving alcohol, according to Yahoo! Life. Twenty-nine percent said they would rather attend a fitness class on a first date than go to a bar, and almost half said they would rather meet at a fitness class than go on a night out, which is in line with Bumble’s 2023 trends research, which found a rise in popularity among “sober-curious” daters.
First dates are awkward anyway, so having something to do while you’re getting to know each other helps you connect. There’s also the added benefit of getting in a workout that you might normally have done anyway, so even if the date goes badly, you spent your free time doing something you enjoyed.
Naomi Walkland, vice-president at Bumble in Europe, said in a statement: “Dating, especially early on, is all about experiences and what better way to connect than share something that you love?” She went on to say: “We’ve seen that our community is already showcasing this with our sports interest badges being the most popular globally. From skiing to Pilates, people can show off their favorite hobbies in their profile photos, bios, or by adding an interest badge to their profile and incorporating this into a first date can be an easy way to break the ice when you first meet.”
Gymshark’s chief brand officer, Noel Mack said in a statement: “Community is, and will continue to be, the most important part of the Gymshark story.”
He added that Bumble’s “female-first approach in a world which is so often the opposite is refreshing and something we aspire to be more like.”
For more on this dating service, check out our Bumble dating app review.