Hinge's Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Tamika Young, talks about the challenges of marketing to an audience whose goal is to delete the app.
Damian Fowler (00:00):
I'm Damian Fowler.
Ilyse Liffreing (00:01):
And I'm Ilyse Liffreing.
Damian Fowler (00:02):
And welcome to The Big Impression.
Ilyse Liffreing (00:09):
This week we're joined by Tamika Young, chief marketing and communications officer at Hinge.
Damian Fowler (00:14):
Now, most apps are trying to keep you engaged for as long as possible.
Ilyse Liffreing (00:18):
Hinge is trying to help you leave.
Damian Fowler (00:20):
So is the dating app designed to be deleted ideally after you've met that special someone, of course?
Ilyse Liffreing (00:25):
Its latest campaign Can't Believe We Met on Hinge starts in a place a lot of daters know well. Frustration, skepticism, and the feeling that true connection is well pretty damn hard to find.
Damian Fowler (00:37):
So it's an honest take on modern dating and one that seems to resonate with younger audiences who can spot, should we say, manufactured authenticity a mile away?
Ilyse Liffreing (00:47):
So today we're talking about dating culture, trust, AI, authenticity, and what it takes to build a brand around helping people find real world connection.
Damian Fowler (00:56):
So let's get into it. So Tamika, just a little bit more on the campaign. Could you talk about how you put it together, what kind of footage you pulled and the real world stories that you're telling? How did you gather them?
Tamika Young (01:09):
Yeah. So for the campaign itself, again, talking about Gen Z, we had Gen Z embedded into the entire process of the campaign. And for us, it really meant that some of the archival footage that you saw in the campaign came directly from the couples themselves because we see that that type of engagement, that type of visual identity really resonates with Gen Z. So we wanted to make sure that we're building this world where Gen Z can feel like they can see themselves within it. And you also think about the wardrobe and the campaign, that was the couple's real wardrobe and very reflective of how they're showing up as Gen Zers in this space. So for us, we're thinking about how we can more deeply connect with those audiences along the entire process. And I think for us, that's why we're seeing this success in the early stages of the campaign.
Damian Fowler (02:03):
I can't believe we met on Hinge. That's the campaign. Starts with frustration, skepticism, and people who are close to giving up on dating altogether. What insight led you to focus on the emotional reality of dating today?
Tamika Young (02:16):
You talk a little bit in the intro about Design to Be Deleted. And for us, Design to Be Deleted is more than a marketing campaign and more than a tagline. It's really the guiding force for all of the work that we're doing here at Hinge. So when you think about product integration or you think about our marketing storytelling or our comm storytelling, that is the foundation for how we want to show up in the world. And Can't Believe We Met on Hinge is our latest campaign and we're really excited to have it out in the world. And it really focuses on seven couples across the US and Australia and the UK as well that are kind of like in this stage of wanting to find their partner, but there's this level of frustration, there's skepticism, there's vulnerability that comes along with it. And for us, we want to be able to showcase those success stories and being able to kind of look on the other side of that and the optimism and the hope that also comes along in this journey.
Ilyse Liffreing (03:10):
I remember that moment well myself, but I was one of the lucky ones. I met my husband to be on Hinge. So one thing I like about the campaign is that it really acknowledges how frustrating that dating can really be. Do you hear the same story again and again from couples that the happy ending usually starts with a lot of skepticism?
Tamika Young (03:34):
Yeah. I think one of the things for us, we're always listening and learning a lot from our daters. We have an in - house research team, so they're always talking to people on our platform. But then we also have a cultural consumer insights team that are looking at what's happening out there in the world and how people are feeling about dating, how they're navigating dating. So for us, it's incredibly important to make sure that we are reflecting what people are feeling and what people are going through. It would be disingenuous for us to pretend that people aren't going through these variety of different emotions. When you think about dating more broadly, not just specific to dating apps, dating is hard and we want to be able to help people navigate that journey. You about Gen Z is one of our biggest audiences and they are now watching or re-watching Sex in the City again.
(04:30):
And when you kind of see some of those conversations that are happening at Sex in the City, which is 20 plus years ago, it's sort of the same things that people are navigating now. So for us, it's incredibly important to make sure that we're understanding our daters, we're listening to them and we're showcasing the realities of what they're feeling, but also the optimism and the hope that they can also experience like you, Eilise.
Ilyse Liffreing (04:52):
Now the campaign itself spans streaming, cinema, social, and cinema is not often a channel you hear about in today's digital world. Can you tell us what role cinema played here?
Tamika Young (05:04):
For us, again, as we were thinking about how and where this can show up and how it can be most resonant for Gen Z, what we've seen is that Gen Z, probably more than any other generation right now, they're going to the movies and they're experiencing the put down your phones culture. So we want to make sure that this was an opportunity for us to be able to have them sitting in a space next to a friend, next to a partner, and be able to experience these films in a really thoughtful and intentional way. And also think about how you can have those conversations long after the film credits role. So it's so important for us to be able to think about those audiences, the channels that are the most relevant for them and how we can show up in a space that feels really credible.
Damian Fowler (05:50):
What was the first sign that people weren't just watching this campaign, but they were really seeing themselves reflected in it?
Tamika Young (05:57):
Yeah. So for us, the campaign has been out for about a month now. So we're seeing a lot of positive signals in brand awareness and consideration and trustworthiness. Again, when you think about a dating app, you want to make sure that people feel as if your platform is a place that they can trust when they're coming to find their partner. But we also hear a lot of anecdotal commentary around how the app is showing up or how the campaign is really resonating with people. So being able to be a part of those conversations, understand those experiences is really important. We had someone share with us that they again were in this space of being very skeptical about coming back onto the app and they saw our campaign and it gave them the hope again to kind of try because they also saw people within the campaign that felt looked very different than you would probably typically see.
(06:50):
So for us, diverse representation is incredibly important and having someone tell us that is the reason why we do the work that we do.
Damian Fowler (06:58):
Particular themes or moments that resonated perhaps with you more strongly than you expected?
Tamika Young (07:05):
I think the biggest theme that kind of came out of the campaign is that people appreciated the honesty that kind of came through in the work that we've shown and the spots that people have seen. And we've done a lot of this work, again, through a lot of our storytelling, but this was the first time that we were a bit more earnest and a bit more forthcoming around the realities of what people are feeling and the emotional truths that people are feeling. So it's nice to kind of hear that that is resonating with people. But again, to my earlier point, they feel this hope and optimism and it gives them the opportunity to think about how they can be thoughtful as they navigate this journey.
Ilyse Liffreing (07:48):
Now measurement is such a key word for marketers
Tamika Young (07:53):
These
Ilyse Liffreing (07:53):
Days. How do you really measure the success of the campaign that is built around so much of the trust and emotional connection with
Tamika Young (08:02):
Audiences
Ilyse Liffreing (08:03):
Rather than the traditional acquisition or engagement metrics?
Tamika Young (08:07):
Yeah. When you sit in a space like the dating category, it is all about the emotional truths and how people are actually feeling. So for us, yes, we're looking at your traditional metrics of how people are engaging with the content and how are they watching the content? But for us, it's really about, again, to my point earlier, what are people feeling and how are they using the things that they're feeling or learning and seeing and applying it to their dating journey? So for us, it's really about that deeper connection with the work that we're doing because we sit in such an emotional space.
Ilyse Liffreing (08:48):
Is there any special way you're trying to measure that though?
Tamika Young (08:51):
Yeah. Again, I think it's like the conversations that we're having. It's a lot of anecdotal conversations where people are telling us. We work also a lot with a lot of real couples. All of our campaigns that you see out there in the world are real couples. They're telling us their story, which is really nice to see and it's really nice to feel. So when we have those conversations with people around how is this resonating? What is working for you? Those are the things that for us are truly, they may seem immeasurable, but for us, that is the guiding force for the work that we're doing and how we show up.
Ilyse Liffreing (09:25):
I know you often get wedding invites as well.
Tamika Young (09:28):
We do. We do. It just sounds so much
Ilyse Liffreing (09:29):
Fun.
Tamika Young (09:30):
Yeah. We have a wall, a couple of walls actually in our office of wedding invites that we look at and it grounds us in the work that we're doing. We also have a biweekly all hands and at the end of each all hands, we're reading someone's success story. So it's really a really special place to be in. And when you see that come to life and you feel how people are so overjoyed about meeting their partner, it feels like a really special moment for us.
Damian Fowler (09:59):
I think it's interesting you hear all these stories. What did you learn about today's dating culture through pain that maybe even surprised the Hinge team?
Tamika Young (10:08):
Yeah. I think what we learned in today's dating culture is that people, you hear a lot about Gen Z. Gen Z's Hinge's biggest audience. About 55% of our audience is Gen Z. And what you hear is that they don't want to be in relationships and they don't want to find love. And we see the exact opposite. They do want to find a partner. They do want to be in a relationship, but they also want to be thoughtful and intentional about how they're stepping into those relationships. And they also want people who are along on the journey with them. They do understand that it's challenging and it's hard, which is exactly the reason why we wanted to do this campaign. So for us, I think it's always making sure that we're listening and learning and paying attention to the conversations that are happening.
Ilyse Liffreing (10:52):
Now I want to step back a little bit and look at the big picture. So Hinge is designed to be deleted. Now most platforms do not operate that way. They measure success by really keeping people on the platform and being engaged. So it's really refreshing not to feel that way, but you've built a brand around that opposite idea. Then how do you really look at growth?
Tamika Young (11:15):
Yeah. Our dater success is our success. So for us, again, being able to have people come onto our platform and then quickly get off the platform and find their partner. And then when they're telling their friends or their family that they've met their partner on Hinge, then that is the way in which we really account for growth. I imagine you, Ilyse, when you met your partner on Hinge, there's probably a lot of people that are like, "Oh, I need to try Hinge now because Ilyse met her partner there." So for us, it's really about that organic word of mouth in terms of our growth. We don't have ads on our platform either. So that's another indicator as to us not wanting to keep people within the Hinge platform itself. And again, we've seen that we're continuing to have double-digit growth within the category.
Ilyse Liffreing (12:02):
Now we touched on this briefly, but dating fatigue, something real and growing. What responsibility do brands have to reflect that reality versus just having people escape it? I
Tamika Young (12:14):
Mean, I think when brands are thinking about how they should be showing up in this space, and I'll speak specifically for Hinge, we want to be honest and we want to be truthful to what people are feeling and what they're navigating. Again, we don't want to paint this rosy picture of what people are actually feeling. It wouldn't resonate with everyone or anyone rather if we're only showcasing one side of dating. So for us, it's showcasing the entire spectrum for what people are feeling is incredibly important to us. And again, we hear from a lot of people who are utilizing our app or even hearing about our campaigns in the world that it really resonates with them.
Damian Fowler (12:57):
I want to ask you about authenticity. What does authentic mean to you and mean to Hinge?
Tamika Young (13:03):
For us, authenticity really means bringing our daters along on the journey and listening to what their needs are and hearing them and also applying that to our work. You hear a lot of brands use the term like we're listening and learning, but how many actually apply it to their business? And for us, that is foundational. That core. Our mission is to create a less lonely world and everything that we do is really centered around that mission. So for us, showing up in a way that feels really authentic makes us more relatable to our daters.
Damian Fowler (13:40):
Now we've talked about this a little bit, but young consumers can spot performative marketing, which touches on the authenticity. A mile away, right? So what do brands still get wrong about that moment of earning trust?
Tamika Young (13:56):
Yeah, I think what brands get wrong is wanting to be performative in those environments. And again, for us, we have a lot of Gen Zers on our team. We are tapping into a lot of insights that really help us better understand Gen Z and how they're navigating, not only dating, but how they're navigating relationships more broadly. So I think it is really about making sure that you're paying attention to what's happening using the insights that you have at your disposal, but then also utilizing the instinct of being able to really tap into what is useful for your audiences as you're building your products or your company.
Ilyse Liffreing (14:38):
Wonderful. Now we have some hot seat questions for you. What is one hill you're prepared to die on when it comes to marketing?
Tamika Young (14:47):
I talk a lot about inclusivity. We have a principle at Hinge called build with not for. And what that really means is making sure that you're bringing people into the work that you're doing farther up in the funnel. So it's easy, I think, for a brand to have diverse representation within their marketing, but how are you really bringing in the diverse perspective, the different voices as you're building the campaign? So I definitely think being able to lean into diversity and inclusivity is incredibly important.
Damian Fowler (15:19):
Okay. If you could swap jobs with any CMO for a week, who would it be?
Tamika Young (15:25):
I would probably say the CMO of F1. My son is a massive, massive F1 fan. I think they've built a really incredible brand that also stems fandom, entertainment, sports, obviously with the show that they have on Netflix that came out a couple years ago. So I'm just really curious about how they're navigating all of those different avenues behind the scenes.
Ilyse Liffreing (15:50):
I fill in the blank for you. The future of marketing is less blank and more blank.
Tamika Young (15:59):
The future of marketing is less performative and more heart. Nice. I think it's really important for brands to think about getting to the core of what people need and what people are feeling as they're building and creating their products. Great.
Damian Fowler (16:15):
Okay. Final question. What's a dating red flag that's surprisingly similar to a marketing red
Tamika Young (16:21):
Flag? Oh, a dating red flag. I would say a dating red flag is ghosting people. And you can probably similarly see that in marketing when you're kind of working with partners and you're kind of trying to navigate a sticky situation when it comes to a product or a campaign rather. So I would have to say ghosting.
Damian Fowler (16:50):
And that's it for this edition of The Big Impression.
Ilyse Liffreing (16:52):
This show is produced by Molten Hart. Our theme is by Love and Caliber and our associate producer is Sydney Cairns.
Damian Fowler (16:59):
And remember,
Tamika Young (17:01):
You hear a lot of brands use the term like we're listening and learning, but how many actually apply it to their business?
Damian Fowler (17:10):
I'm Damian.
Ilyse Liffreing (17:10):
And I'm Ilyse.
Damian Fowler (17:11):
And we'll see you next time.