Tinder has been taking strides to increase LGBTQ+ representation, and despite recent controversy about LGBTQ+ positive ad campaigns, the company is standing its ground.
Tinder has recently onboarded new CMO, Melissa Hobley, who has over the past year been making efforts to make the app more inclusive. The most recent of these was the ‘It Starts With a Swipe’ campaign, which presents various video ads showcasing both hetero and LGBTQ+ couples through various stages of dating.
According to The Drum, Hobley said the campaign offered “an opportunity to use marketing to chip away at homophobia and continue to show all kinds of connections and all kinds of daters.”
CMO Hobley has been firm about her stance on representing the queer community even if it means upsetting some people. “LGBTQ+ equality is not a political issue, it is a human rights issue,” she said.
Pink News reports that a 2023 study from OnePoll found that the number of LGBTQ+ Tinder users has more than doubled since 2021.
Back in 2019, the company added a sexual orientation selection to profiles so LGBTQ+ users could identify themselves and what they were searching for. Also in recent years, Tinder and other leading dating apps have allowed users to select “Men,” “Women,” or “Everyone” when choosing what type of partner they’re seeking.
Tinder is always improving its functionality to create better matches, another recent function allows users to indicate what type of relationship they want with options including: long term partner, short term relationship and more.
Plenty of brands have faced mounting pressure from far right extremists and conservatives this year for promoting LGBTQ+ products during Pride month or including queer public figures in their ad campaigns.
Earlier this year, Bud Light got caught in a controversy after a brand partnership with transgender influencer, Dylan Mulvaney. Target has also seen backlash for selling Pride-themed merchandise, and even went as far as to remove products from shelves in select stores.
Tinder sets a high bar for other brands and corporations to follow as they continue to stand by their mission to spread inclusivity in the online dating realm.
