The spots also draw on modern dating insights, depicting new milestones and rituals. In “New Last Name,” a woman changes her date’s last name in her phone from “Tinder” to his real one—a small shift that can signal relationship progression among app users.
As with previous versions of the campaign, there is also a continued focus on inclusivity. This is seen in the diverse cast of the ads, as well as narratives such as “A Second Wardrobe,” in which a gay couple not only gains newfound intimacy but also expanded wardrobes.
“We’re very intentional in reflecting the diversity and inclusivity that we see in our userbase,” Danzi added.
Reclaiming the brand narrative
Tinder debuted “It Starts With a Swipe,” its first-ever global brand campaign, in February 2023. It has already paid off for the business, with owner Match Group crediting the marketing with driving the app’s growth, particularly among young people and women.
Tinder’s Q3 2023 revenue grew by 11% year over year to $509 million, outpacing Match Group’s overall revenue growth of 9% to $882 million in the period.
The campaign has also “reclaimed [Tinder’s] brand narrative” after many years of relying on viral growth, according to Match Group’s third quarter business update. Since its launch in 2012, Tinder had become known as a hookup app that only facilitated surface-level connections, while often being conflated with people’s overall frustrations with dating, Danzi observed.
“Instead of trying to change misperceptions of what Tinder is, [the campaign] is redefining what people say a hookup is,” said Bianca Guimaraes, executive creative director at Mischief. “It fights misperceptions in a lighthearted, not judgmental way. You can watch the ads and say, ‘Ha, I’ve been there.’”
