Bumble Launches Video Campaign to Address Dating Stigmas in APAC Countries

Dating app Bumble has launched a new series of videos catering to countries within the Asian-Pacific (APAC) market, specifically India, Singapore, and The Philippines, to lessen the stigma surrounding its dating app premise: that women make the first move.

APAC countries, especially India, are fast-growing markets for dating apps as younger daters opt for technology over traditional dating methods like matchmaking. However, approaches to dating and matchmaking vary greatly between countries according to Lucille McCart, communications director for Bumble APAC said in an interview with The Drum. For example, religion and religious customs are more important in Singapore and the Philippines compared to markets like Australia and New Zealand.

As a result, Bumble has launched new videos catering to specific markets. The videos for Singapore and the Philippines are called “It Starts With Hello,” designed to create more levels of comfort for women starting a chat over the app. “In Singapore, 87% of people surveyed believed that men should take the lead and only 7% said that this is what is expected of women. Things are slowly changing in this regard, and Bumble is here to advocate for further progress,” McCart told The Drum.

The video for the Singapore market centers around a young woman wondering how to message a match she’s made, attempting several texts before deciding to sing an audio message to her match, and he responds in kind since they both like karaoke. The overall message of the app is: it starts with a simple hello, so don’t overthink it – just start a conversation.

The video for Philippines users also demonstrates how easy it can be to start a conversation for those who are hesitant to make the first move. This video shows a young woman with her friends who matches with someone she’s interested in, messaging her match “Night market?” as an opener. The next scene is of her catching his eye at a drinks stand under colorful lights, then the two of them having fun going through the stalls to eat and try on clothes. The date ends with him asking her out again the following week.

These videos contrast with one geared towards Australian users, where the message is “girls will be girls,” a play on “boys will be boys.” It starts with a group of young female friends setting up their dating profiles, then matching and hooking up with their dates and having some fun before returning to their friends once again.

In India, Bumble had already launched a series of videos called “Dating These Nights” where celebrities discussed deeper topics about sex and dating, easing the stigma of Bumble users having conversations with their matches about boundaries and what they want.

“The series delves into deeper and more meaningful conversations around topics that are considered taboo but need to be discussed more openly. The content reflects evolving dating cultures in India and showcases our brand values in a locally relevant way,” McCart told The Drum.

She added that the pandemic has really shifted dating behavior and attitudes across the globe. "All of these shifts are changing the ways that people are thinking about what they are looking for, and how they better balance our relationships, work, and life. As we head into the new year, we are encouraged by the many ways single people are challenging the status quo and taking control of defining what a healthy relationship means for them,” she said in the interview.

For more about this dating service you can check out our Bumble dating app review.