Celebrities

Bumble made a name for itself by inviting women to take charge of their love lives and make the first move. The company’s mission to empower women, shake up outdated social norms, and fight for equal opportunities struck a chord with frustrated female daters who quickly flocked to the app. Since then, Bumble has successfully launched platforms for friendship and business networking, and has taken its pursuit of gender parity offline with a string of initiatives including Bumble Fund and a partnership with Bloggers Who Brunch.

Bloggers Who Brunch is a Los Angeles-based experiential marketing agency that connects brands with influencers through social events and innovative activations. Bumble Bizz recently collaborated with Bloggers Who Brunch to highlight women in entertainment who are leading the way toward greater diversity and inclusion in the industry. The ‘Women In Entertainment’ series highlighted singer, actor and host of syndicated talk show The Real Adrienne Bailon-Houghton, along with actor, influencer and fashion blogger Cara Santana.

Image: Bumble

Dating app Bumble has set its sights on partnering with prominent female leaders, including tennis champion Serena Williams. The company just announced that she will be an investor and active member of the new Bumble Fund, as well as a global ambassador for the brand.

The Bumble Fund is an investment fund started by Bumble founder and CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd to help female entrepreneurs get support for their projects and businesses. It’s also a great way to market the company’s networking app Bumble Bizz. The Bumble Fund focuses on getting businesses started with initial funding, ranging anywhere from $5,000 to $250,000, primarily for businesses led by women of color and underrepresented groups.

Bumble confirmed that a new ad featuring its latest celebrity partner Serena Williams will debut during the first half of the SuperBowl.

According to AdWeek, Bumble teased a new campaign with the tennis star, admitting that it would coordinate with the SuperBowl, though it wasn’t clear if they were planning to air an ad during the game, one of the most-watched annual events in the U.S. (and one of the most expensive ad buys). Bumble has now confirmed their first SuperBowl ad will feature Serena Williams and their new campaign “The Ball is in Her Court.”

Bumble, a female-friendly dating app, is serious about its female-empowerment mission. Over the past few years, the brand has debuted offerings that appeal specifically to women, such as partnering with Moxy Hotels to offer BumbleSpot – verified locations where Bumble users can meet for dates, career networking, or potential new friendships - in an effort to create safe spaces for women.

Bumble CEO and Serena Williams

Star athlete Serena Williams is making her next move as Bumble’s global advisor. The company announced that its new ad campaign featuring the award-winning tennis champion will debut during this year’s Super Bowl.

The theme of the campaign is in line with Bumble’s female-friendly focus, called “The Ball is in Her Court.” It will feature Williams making the first move in every aspect of life: dating, friendship, and business, according to the release, according to AdWeek.

Partnering with a high-profile, empowered female is a consistent reflection of the Bumble brand. In its press release, Bumble stated that Williams’ role will include enforcing Bumble’s “mission to end misogyny and empower women around the world.”

Match Group has a new dating app called Crown, and to kick off its initial launch in Los Angeles, the company threw a party at the trendy rooftop bar EP&LP in West Hollywood.

The event drew more people than originally anticipated – the company received almost 800 RSVPs. This was an invitation-only event, but word managed to trickle out to L.A. singles. When we arrived, there was a line forming down the block just to get inside.

Crown strategists are positioning the app as a departure from the typical swiping apps modeled after Tinder, because of its intentionally game-like format. Much like you would approach betting on your favorite sports team, say for March Madness, Crown presents you with sixteen matches per day, presented in a bracket format. You pick the winner of each pair of potential matches, until you are left with the final four. When you crown the winner, you have twenty-four hours to message each other and see what happens next. The process starts all over again the next day with new matches.

Valentine’s Day is approaching, which means more news stories about the prospects of finding love online. Dating apps have changed the romantic landscape in recent years and offered more opportunities to meet new people, but have they really helped daters meet their ultimate goals?

On February 6^th Intelligence Squared U.S., a non-profit organization which encourages thoughtful discussion and debate, will be hosting a live debate from New York City: "Swipe Left: Dating Apps Have Killed Romance."

In a nod to the complicated state of dating today, the keynote will be delivered by Daniel Jones, longtime editor of the hugely popular New York Times’ essay column ‘Modern Love.’