Over its 10-year existence, Tinder has not only introduced the concept of “swiping” to indicate interest (or lack thereof) into the cultural lexicon; it has also sparked a reputation as a place where daters could find a noncommittal encounter—or as it’s known more widely, a “hookup.”

But now, the popular dating app is optimistic its new global campaign—and the strong user data that backs it—will cause that perception to flame out. 

“It Starts with a Swipe,” the colorful new campaign created in partnership with AOR Mischief @ No Fixed Address, is Tinder’s first-ever global campaign, and features an all-inclusive cast of Gen Z daters—representing the app’s core membership and the various relationship categories they fall under.

Spanning across sexual, emotional, eco-friendly preferences and incorporating font treatments that evoke romance novel covers, imagery for the campaign includes taglines such as “Someone to Go to Heaven With,” “Comfortable Silences” and “Someone to Save the Planet With.” Two 15-second videos, “Toothbrush” and “One Night Stand,” touch on relationship milestones, with clever copy on the latter declaring “Some Tinder dates turn into one-night stands. But some turn into Two nightstands” with an amorous club encounter morphing into a furniture shopping excursion.

Visuals for the campaign were shot by LA-based hybrid photo-digital artist Pol Kurucz, with digital videos being directed by male/female directing duo Los Perez for Biscuit Filmworks—a 50/50 male/female co-owned production company that also produced Uber’s recent Superbowl spot starring Diddy.

“We were really intentional on wanting to Hero the word ‘Swipe,’” Stephanie Danzi, Tinder’s svp of marketing, told Adweek. “It remains the easiest, more fun way and fast way to meet new people”

Danzi anecdotally shared with Adweek that she and her team were encouraged that they were on the right track when many of the team on set—which she and the company emphasized was heavily female, BIPOC and LGBTQ+—redownloaded the app. She also mentioned that the company has taken great measures to ensure the app provides a safe and healthy experience for all users, especially marginalized communities.

“When I think about what we want this campaign to do, it’s really that we want people to feel seen, and see themselves reflected,” she said.

“This is Tinder’s first global campaign, so we’re lighting up in more markets with really a full 360-spend than we ever have before,” said Danzi, who says the campaign will launch first in the U.S. and Europe before expanding to South America, Asia and Australia, with OOH launching in New York, Los Angeles, London, Berlin, Paris, Madrid and a handful of other major markets. The spots will stream on Hulu, Roku, YouTube and social will run via TikTok, Snap and Instagram.

Danzi cites the company is aggressively pursuing a “premium OOH” presence as they expand markets, notably on subway trains in New York, bus wraps in Los Angeles and London’s tubes—the most-used method of transportation for their target.

“We’re really trying to be intentional about getting in front of where Gen Z is,” she said.

Out and dated

Tinder is open to its desire to court Gen Z, who it reports make up most of the app’s users, are less jaded when it comes to online dating and, according to Danzi, care less about labels and care more about connection and validation. 84% of users polled by Tinder said they are optimistic when it comes to dating and relationships, with 56% of the young daters, whose ages range between 18-25, considering the term “hookup” an outdated term in comparison to their older counterparts.

“Tinder is for so much more than hookups,” said Danzi, who told Adweek the app recently launched a new feature called “Relationship Goals,” where users can specify the type of relationship they’re seeking. Since its December release, the feature has now been added to nearly 60% of the app’s profiles.

“This is something that people care about,” she said, adding that 40% of those profiles have opted for “long-term relationship” over “short-term fun.”

The company also notes that LGBTQ+ members are the fastest growing group on the app, with Gen Z members identifying within the group more than doubling their presence on the app over the last two years. 

No terms or conditions

To bring the campaign full circle, Danzi also shared that the company will be working with influencers who have all met their partners on the app to drive home the message of all the things that start “from a swipe,” adding that other types of relationships have formed from the simple yet potentially life-changing gesture.

“Tinder is really a place where … you should come without a checklist, and just be open to the different possibilities of who you’ll meet and what will come from it.”