Swipe science: how dating apps rebrand themselves again and again

and how they recover from their mistakes

Happy Valentine’s Day [to those who celebrate 👀]!

Love may be a universal language, but the way we find it is constantly evolving. Although some think they’re over, the teams behind Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge are doubling down on innovation, adapting to the shifting tides of modern romance, and in turn, shaping culture itself.

Watching how they operate is smart not just to see how the adjust to the times but because the apps are often at the forefront of cultural trends thanks to their younger user bases. According to Pew, around half of people under 30 (53%) have ever used a dating site or app (compared with 37% of those ages 30 to 49, 20% of those 50 to 64, and 13% of those 65 and older).

Today, our resident Pop Cultural Anthropologist

Megan Collins

is looking at the apps and what trends & insights they’re likely acting on to adapt to meet the changing dating landscape.

As always, Megan shares her takeaways, but something to keep in mind as you read: each of these brands is an excellent example of speaking directly to their audience. Each one serves a slightly different purpose, and knows that, so their marketing teams act accordingly. It’s a breath of fresh air to see brands that aren’t chasing every possible user, but instead focus on delivering value to the right people.

The rest of this piece is for paid subscribers. Upgrade your subscription to read Megan’s expert analysis of how Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge are making smart choices for their users and the inspo you can take for your own content strategy ASAP.