Bumble teaches that happy endings aren’t always necessary, what matters is the journey

Bumble’s approach defies dating standards by pushing women to initiate the first move through the app. Its most recent advertising builds on that idea by questioning many of the conventional views of dating.

The new ad by Bumble debuts just in time for the Christmas season and the new year. This is usually the season of ‘love is in the air’. Created by 72andSunny Amsterdam, the ad depicts daily dating encounters from a woman’s perspective, eschewing the so-called ‘happily ever after’.

According to Naomi Walkland, vice-president of marketing at Bumble for the EMEA region, dating stories are directed towards women usually focus on the endgame instead of just experiencing the journey.

“Either you talk about wanting to end up with someone or you’re in a hook-up phase, but there’s never just a celebration of the journey of dating and how fun that can be,” she said. “Our brief was around showing the beauty of the messy, in-between stages of dating and empowering women to take control of their dating lives.”

Fall in love with Bumble

The campaign is supported by data by Research Without Barriers, which showed that a third of people in the United Kingdom (32%) define their dating strategy as “exploratory,” 70% go on up to four dates per week to meet many people as possible. According to Walkland, after the pandemic, people are more honest with their relationship goals.

In the film, a lady goes on several dates and has realistic experiences. These are seeking help from friends, preparing food for her date, and brushing her teeth with her finger while staying the night at a date’s apartment. It’s not obvious if she ends up with someone as she goes down a road in the end. The tagline reads, “Fall in love with dating.”

Sometimes it’s not about the end but the journey all along

“The film is honest. It can be super easy to fall into rom-com land, but we wanted to get under the skin of how dating can feel,” said Laura Visco, executive creative director of 72andSunny Amsterdam. “We also wanted to normalize a lot of things that can happen on that journey. Taking your time or not wanting to settle right away is okay. There are a lot of things that you’re learning about yourself and what you want from dating in the process.”

The campaign will launch in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Israel, among other markets.

It includes both good and terrible dates. And the people you encounter and the journey of figuring out what you really want.