Hinge 3X-ed its growth by telling us to delete it

Ah the world of dating.

Not too easy, is it?

Online dating’s meant to make our love lives simpler. But the sheer terror of walking into a death trap, or WORSE an awkward date, is undeniable.

Unless one-night stands or casual hookups are your thing, finding a love interest seems impossible.

Which is why dating app Hinge made it their mission to change that.

In 2019, Hinge launched the 'dating app designed to be deleted' campaign, which was all about promoting meaningful relationships. In these ads, Hinge asks you to find your match and dump the app.

This completely goes against the messaging of their counterparts, Tinder and Bumble, which constantly promote casual dating. 

As a part of Hinge's campaign, the app released ‘The dating app designed to be deleted’ video ad, which gained over 6.1M views on YouTube . In the video, every time Hinge creates a successful match, their cute furry icon named Hingie dies. The Oracle, played by comedian Patti Harrison, then commends the icon for its good work and helps it pass on to the afterlife.

So did telling people to delete the app actually work?

According to Dan Gray from Vendry, Hinge saw a 47% increase in app downloads following the project. The app also saw an 18% increase in users deleting Hinge. And, even though the app encouraged users to delete it, they saw a 3X revenue growth following the campaign partnership.

Why did telling people to delete Hinge lead to such growth?

We love comedy. The campaign featured both long- and short-form versions of the ad. The comedic genre of this video makes dating seem so much less daunting. And, Hingie is so silly and cute, which adds to the light-heartedness of the video.

As explained by MI3, CMO at Hinge, Jackie Jantos said, '"Designed to be deleted" brings to life Hinge’s goal of getting people off the app as Hingie—our furry app icon—lives to die.' RIP Hingie.

They made a promise no other app would. Hinge differentiated themselves from their competitors by targeting users looking for a serious relationship. This positioned them as a solution to the frustrations of modern dating.

It also made them seem less superficial than the other apps. This led to sustained growth, loyalty, and word-of-mouth testimonials from their users.

Jessica Stavros from Mindbodygreen explained, 'I have met several quality people on the app, and I know folks who have married their Hinge matches. Hinge truly is one of the best dating apps for a serious relationship.'

They're led by their values. According to Hinge’s mission statement, they follow these 3 values: authenticity, courage, and empathy. Aligning with these values, Hinge puts relationships at the core of everything they do. This means they prioritise their users and how they experience the app.

Greg Randall from Comma Consulting said, 'It's one thing to say, "we understand you" but it's completely different when a business says "we exist for you" and the consumer believes it. Powerful stuff! That is what Hinge is doing.'

What can we learn from Hinge?

Being different isn’t a bad thing. Step outside the box and see what you can do to set yourself apart from competitors. Find your niche and narrow down your target audience. If you know who your audience is, you can learn more about them, creating a better experience for all.

Remember to remain human. The last thing you want to become is 'just another brand.' Keep your values front and centre, and your consumers will appreciate you for it.

-Visha, Intern