RESEARCH
Roughly a year ago, the dating app Bumble went through a series of rebrands after welcoming a new CEO. For roughly a decade, Bumble has distinguished itself from the competition as an app that empowers women to make the first move, whereas most dating apps give this privilege to men. The app released many updates at the start of 2024 to appeal to Gen Z, including features that make the app more accessible for non-binary individuals. Their campaign for the rebrand, however, received a lot of backlash for actually insulting the women they were targeting rather than uplifting them. In early April of 2024, the promotions started by relating to women’s exhaustion with the dating scene, especially online. Users were intrigued to see how the app that had caused these problems was aiming to better itself for their benefit. However, this all changed with the release of an advertisement of a woman giving up her sexuality to be a nun, then being drawn back into the dating world through Bumble and leaving her church behind. Alongside the video were billboards with slogans such as “You know full well a vow of celibacy is not the answer” and “Thou shalt not give up on dating and become a nun.” Though an attempt by the brand at humor, these marketing materials were met with significant discomfort from women who felt as if the campaign was shaming those who do not wish to conform to modern-day hookup culture, especially at a time when women are choosing to be celibate for personal reasons beyond not finding the right man. The overall disgust with the advertisements brought up more issues with the rebrand as a whole–including and especially the fact that the entire process was less of a rebrand than Bumble was claiming. Besides a new logo and tone-deaf commercials, the overall changes to the app and its usability were minimal and poorly received. The most prominent update introduced a feature that allowed men to start conversations first, which many users feel goes against what made the app unique and special in the first place. Overall, many online daters and frequent Bumble users are very disappointed in the app and feel as if their voices are not being heard by the brand. It is incredibly important that Bumble find a way to listen to its users and earn back their trust to keep the app afloat.
AUDIENCE
As the primary user base on Bumble, young women from ages 18-30 are the most important demographic to connect with. As the group most impacted by the tone-deaf advertisements, the brand must truly take into consideration new perspectives on dating and relationships that are practiced by younger women. Young men and other gender identities should also be taken into consideration, as many of the marketing tactics are geared towards women despite the app being designed for people of all genders. Bumble needs to show that it understands how sexuality is being reformed by newer generations and that it stands with them, not against them.
GOAL
Bumble’s primary goal is to earn back the trust lost by users and show that they are accepting of people from every walk of life, no matter their sexual preferences or values. Additionally, the app should go through real updates that add new layers to its functionality, bringing in a wider user base and appeasing users who were hoping for something more from the rebrand. First, Bumble needs to show that it cares about its users and recognizes the disrespect they felt from the app’s previous marketing. An apology statement put out on social media saying “We know we messed up, teach us more so we can teach others” would be a great start. With this statement, the brand could introduce a new initiative that highlights differing perspectives on relationships. Through the app itself, they could create a section for users to share their experiences, good and bad, with dating in the digital age. This could create a sense of community for people on Bumble who share the same fears, proving that the app can be about more than just flings. Platonic relationships can be formed through the app, as well. This will draw users who want to quit online dating back in with the promise of a new type of connection that can be made. Users can then decide whether or not they want these posts shown on their profile, which can give prospective partners the chance to know each others’ worries from the get-go or let a poster stay anonymous. In addition, the app could add a feature to profiles that allows people to share whether or not they feel comfortable having casual sex, if they view intimacy as a more sacred thing, or if they have no interest in it at all. This feature would also allow for connection between people who may have felt very attacked by the anti-celibate advertisements that were put out. It would show that everyone has a place on their app, and once again be a sign of remorse for the poor choice of marketing used.
OBJECTIVE
A measurable objective would be to put out the apology statement as soon as the negative press surrounding the reboot started to come to the surface and interest in the app began to plummet (mid-late April 2024). All celibacy-related advertisements should also be pulled before the statement is released. Immediate action and ownership of mistakes are important in keeping the audience’s trust. One week after the statement is put out, the new profile feature should be added to profiles, accompanied by an announcement of the upcoming community messaging feature. Quick turnaround will keep people interested and informing them of the upcoming addition will keep them interested in seeing how the app progresses. One month after the announcement of the community message feature, it should be added to the app. If it is possible to add it sooner, do so, but it is more important for the feature to be coded properly and functional. Hosting some form of event with relationship content creators to unveil the new feature could keep people engaged and intrigued, especially those who may have not been up-to-date with the brand.
PESO ANALYSIS
Every step of the PESO model will be utilized in some way during this comeback initiative. Beyond paid ads that highlight the reconnection efforts, the event hosted by Bumble for the launching of the community message feature will allow content creators to showcase the brand, a combination of paid and earned media. In addition, the rebrand would hopefully draw the attention of news outlets, especially those who reported on the poorly worded advertisements, showcasing the work the brand has done to fix their mistake. The social media outreach would be a form of shared media, via both comments and the sending of the posts on Instagram, X, and Facebook. A referral link that provides incentives for people who get their friends to check out the app would also be a form of shared media. The community forum on the app itself would be owned media, especially if Bumble uses little pop-ups on the app to promote the exciting addition coming to the app.
CONCLUSION
By creating advertisements that shamed people for choosing a life without sex, Bumble accidentally smeared its “pro-women” image and made people distrustful of their app. This could be resolved by the brand quickly taking ownership of the accidental discourse they caused and listening to those with complaints. A message board on their app that allows users to rant about their experiences, share tips, learn from others, and more would create a new space where they can see what their users have to say about online dating while fostering an environment for people to make new connections that revolve around more than just sexual activity, connecting back to their user base and once again separating themselves from competitors through unique features and an empowering atmosphere.