“Everything we do is intended to encourage people to literally get off the app and into great dates,” Jantos said.
Lately, the brand has emphasized this by turning to real life dating stories, which “feel more truthful and honest” than the love stories found in pop culture, said Jantos.
Earlier this year, Hinge created a zine of love stories written by authors including Roxane Gay and John Paul Brammer based on six real-life couples who met on the app. With a focus on Gen Z, the project was inspired by the popularity of romantic literature on TikTok’s #BookTok.
Tackling dating burnout and loneliness
Hinge’s message, aiming to challenge “all the tropes that make romance look idealistic and full of easy starts,” per Jantos, echoes a sentiment in a summer campaign from rival dating app Tinder. In those ads, Tinder subverted traditional notions of romance by reimagining romantic comedies for the digital age.
Both brands are looking to resonate in a challenging sector, as some reports point to negative sentiment about dating apps, especially among younger users. A 2023 Axios / Generation Lab survey revealed that 79% of college and graduate students in the U.S. said they don’t use any dating apps even as infrequently as once a month.
Nevertheless, Hinge has been a bright spot for parent company Match Group, which also owns Tinder. In Q3 2024, Hinge’s direct revenue grew 36% year on year, making it the second most downloaded dating app in the U.S. for the first time ever, according to Match Group’s latest earnings.
