Marketing

Image: Grindr

Grindr has launched its new cross-country bus tour “Grindr Rides America” in celebration of Pride month.

“From the Castro to Stonewall, we’ll be getting around—hop on, get off, and get your dicks on Route 66,” Grindr’s cheeky press release reads. “This is all in celebration of YOU as we toast to 15 years and counting.”

Grindr’s bus tour is also in celebration of its fifteenth anniversary, and the company will offer free HIV testing, PrEP resources, and a full-service photography studio to LGBTQ neighborhoods on its route. According to Mashable, a team from medical service Q Care Plus will be along for the ride to discuss HIV and STI prevention with attendees, as well as screening, treatment options, and how to access prep and doxy-PEP to encourage discussion and support without judgment.

Dating app Tinder has partnered with running coach app Runna to launch a special summer run club for singles.

According to Runner’s World magazine, the “Solemates” club was created in response to a growing need from Tinder app users for activity-based dating events. There is also a significant number of runners joining Tinder, and the term “running” is one of the top trending profile-tagged “interests” that people can choose from on the platform.

SoleMates events are taking place in June and July in London, and will be held on Wednesday nights for three consecutive weeks at different areas, including Clapham and Central London. The third location is to be determined.

Dating app Bumble publicly apologized after its new ad campaign about letting go of celibacy was not well-received.

The company debuted billboard ads reading: “You know full well a vow of celibacy is not the answer” juxtaposed against an introduction to “the new Bumble.” This was part of a brand redesign promotion, according to AP.

The ad appeared tone deaf to many women, some referring to it as “anti-choice” during a time when women’s decisions and control over their bodies are being taken away in the wake of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision regarding abortion. When the Bumble ad seemed to be telling them what to do with their bodies, coming from a dating app with a reputation that puts women first, it sparked outrage.

Grindr says it will be offering the biggest change to its platform in the app’s history, describing the app’s new purpose to be a “gayborhood in your pocket.”

According to Axios, the gay dating app was under pressure from both users and investors to give a facelift to the app, which has remained essentially the same for the past few years. Arison has been teasing these changes lately, including the new feature Roam which will allow users to set a location on the app to where they are traveling, so they can match and message with people before arriving.

The new features are currently being tested and Arison plans to launch them later this year.

Bumble is giving 50 couples who met on its app a free wedding in Las Vegas.

According to People Magazine, the company announced its plan to celebrate couples who met via its platform with a free wedding, travel included. For one weekend, Bumble has rented out the famous Little White Chapel in Las Vegas and is turning it into a branded wedding venue for 50 lucky couples.

The chapel itself will be decorated in Bumble yellow, which the company is calling Little Yellow Chapel for the wedding weekend. The famous venue has hosted many celebrity weddings, including Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck in 2022, as well as Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner in 2019, according to People.

Hinge dating app has another campaign around its tagline “designed to be deleted,” where mascot Hingie journeys to the afterlife after matching a happy new couple.

According to Adweek, marketing agency Wieden + Kennedy Portland created the ad campaign for Hinge, including a video which expands on the designed to be deleted theme.

The video is meant to appeal to younger daters with its slightly dark yet funny approach. It begins with a couple kissing in their car who decide to make their relationship official by deleting the app, sending Hingie into the afterlife. The ad continues with Hingie’s journey, where the mascot is dropped in front of a judge called The Oracle, who grants Hingie’s passage to heaven through a golden doorway.