AURORA WINTZ
03 FEBRUARY 2022
Two weeks ago, FoxYe’s unlikely link had us feeling saucy, and with V-Day on the horizon, love is in the air.
With the pandemic fizzling our sizzle, we’ve been swiping left, as closed venues and stay-at-home orders have drastically changed the dating landscape. If you were victim to the dreaded walking date or FaceTime e-meet in 2022, you’ll be pleased to learn that as the world continues its evolution to a new normal in 2022, the dating scene is changing – and so are our apps.
With the astronomical rise of TikTok, the world’s obsession with video is beginning to trickle into dating app design. New to the scene, The Sauce and Qemistry have been hailed as the new ‘Tinder for TikTokers’. Both apps have video at the heart of their strategy, utilizing dating profiles that are made up solely of video content. Their launch brings a plethora of opportunities to brands looking to connect with new audiences.
Qemistry co-founder Emma Clark says, “Gen Z is looking for more than a curated, photoshopped collage of stills and we believe that video-based profiles are the secret sauce to a potential lasting relationship.”
Designed with Gen Z in mind, Qemistry and The Sauce set out to dissolve some of dating’s biggest problems for daters who are sick of the ‘ick’, including catfishing and superficiality, and give users a better indication of potential matches’ personalities.
After a long collective period of involuntary self-isolation, dating apps have started to encourage spontaneous, IRL dating solutions. New apps Thursday and Bounce reflect this change, fast-forwarding through the small talk phase and getting straight to dates. Bounce works on a strategy of pure spontaneity, only ‘live’ at pre-specified session times. Once in a live session, users only have 15 minutes to match and find a date – for the same day! Similarly, Thursday operates exclusively on Thursdays, finding date options for other users that are wanting to go out in the evening.
Thursday founder Matt McNeill said, “there’s a massive trend in the Generation Z and Millennials market where people just want to meet face-to-face rather than chat to a stranger online. Ten years ago it was cool to be dripping in tech, but people are now more conscious of screen time and wanting experiences in real life rather than virtually.”
The digital sphere itself has created an entirely new realm of dating, dubbed ‘the talking stage’, where courting occurs virtually over instant chat, something that didn’t even exist 10 years ago. Alter egos, catfishing, and over-filtered standards are running thin on the patience of Millennials and Gen Zers, creating a ‘digital fatigue’ — apps like Thursday and Bounce are counteracting it.
As we continue to see the digital sphere bleed into the physical across industries, dating apps are also evolving to do even more of the dating work for us, setting up the details and providing further desired convenience to consumers.
The feelings of isolation caused by the pandemic and heightened desire for human connection have given dating app users a better idea of what they want and need, and more users than ever are open to having a serious relationship. Hinge and newcomer app Inner Circle are reflecting this change, with both setting out to create a greater sense of intimacy between their users. Inner Circle looks to curate a ‘circle of seriously cool singles together to meet, chat and meet in real life.’ On the other hand, Hinge looks to create a more intimate feeling by making users answer three questions from a list of options and voice notes, revealing users’ personalities (often to the point of cringe).
CEO of Inner Circle, David Vermeulen, weighed in on this trend, ‘In 2022, people aren’t going to be afraid to be who they want to be, say what they want, and what they don’t. Neither should you.’ Vermeulen also outlined that topics once considered taboo in the early dating stage are now common conversation, from vaccinations to global politics.
The post-pandemic introspectiveness of consumers has led to a greater feeling of certainty in what they want and their beliefs. Daters are now cutting to the chase, aided by rising apps that encourage transparency and are tailored to niche interests. Interestingly, though dating apps were once created as the antithesis of dating websites like eHarmony, they are now becoming closer to the traditional websites used by Baby Boomers and Generation X (no West Elm Calebs welcome here!).
At their core, The Sauce, Chemistry, Thursday, Bounce, Hinge, and Inner Circle are different brands, with different marketing strategies, yet all connect their digital presence to the real world – and they’re promising to bring this to the forefront. Inner Circle has had a slew of dating parties, including pub quizzes and museum tours. Thursday hosts ‘AfterPartys’ on a weekly basis, taking over bars in London and New York City. Well-established dating-app giants like Tinder and Bumble have both held these rendezvous in the past, and are now frequent activators, continuing to acknowledge the importance of connecting with the public in the physical realm.
With more people at home, consumers’ eyes have been on their personal screens more than ever before, and the value of in-person experiences has skyrocketed. As the world opens up, this trend provides exciting opportunities for brands through activations that quench this desire for real-life interaction.
As experts in experiential marketing, New Moon has both seen this trend and implemented experiential solutions for a variety of brands and industries from fashion to beverage. Swipe right by dropping us a line if you’re interested in learning more about how we create our unforgettable real-life activations!
xoxo,
Aurora