Why I love Hinge as a happily married marketer

So, my secret’s out: I love Hinge - and I’m married.

Don’t worry, this isn’t the confession of a lifetime (unlike this Norwegian Olympian).

Actually, my husband is very aware of my love affair with Hinge - much to his annoyance.

Because whenever I see an ad for it, a friend mentions it, or there’s even a whisper of the word H-i-n-g-e, I can’t help myself from declaring my love for the dating app that’s ‘Designed to be Deleted’.

I’ve subsequently been banned from Screwfix.

What is Hinge?

Started in 2012 by Justin McLeod, Hinge was his answer to heartbreak. A way to tackle our generation’s loneliness, to break away from the ’swipe right’ culture, and ultimately, to find himself a girlfriend (which is selfishly selfless of him?)

And now, Hinge’s revenue sits at approximately $550 million (as of 2024), and it has over 30 million users. This may be half of its most famous competitor, but with 90% of people saying their first dates on Hinge were ‘great’, there’s not really much competition when it comes to finding true love.

And with new dates being set up every two seconds, I’d say Hinge’s Nobel-prize-winning algorithm works.

So, it’s clear I’m not the only one who’s falling head over heels for the UK’s second most popular dating app; however, I probably am the only one who’s going to hijack their company’s blog to tell you why they love it so much - and what your brand can learn from it.

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8 Reasons why every marketer loves Hinge, and what your brand can learn from them

1.  The dating app that’s ‘Designed to be Deleted’

Pure, utter genius.

As a writer, this slogan literally brings a tear to my eye. The simplicity of it, the depth of meaning it brings, and the casual cleverness that I could only dream of conveying in as few words is just - breathtaking.

This, my friend, is the Mona Lisa of the marketing world.

Because with just four words, Hinge has encapsulated their whole brand identity, their whole brand mission statement, their whole USP, into one teeny tiny tagline.

And I love to hate it, because it’s just so obvious a statement.

Of course, dating apps should be designed to be deleted - because if they’re any good, you shouldn’t need them anymore after finding ‘the one’.

“Download. Delete. Never Repeat.”

Hinge

Sadly, though, through the gamification of dating apps and addictive algorithms, other apps on the market aren’t as honourable with their matchmaking mission.

But, this is what makes Hinge stand out: their need to be deleted.

For your brand: Define your USP in a crisp, clear tagline to grip the imagination (and memory) of your target audience.

2. The branding is also delete-coded (and therefore, fantastic)

The fact that their whole brand is centralised around this idea of being deleted is just stellar brand positioning.

As a marketing tactic for a B2C app, it can be hard to get your head around (you mean, you want us to put you in the itty bitty bin on my phone?).  But as a marketing tactic for a dating app made by a true romantic, it’s an excellent example of authentic brand storytelling.

“Ghost apps, not people.”

Hinge

And no, it’s not just the beloved (by me) slogan that translates this ‘deletion’-centric movement to its users. Hinge’s own brand guidelines are oh so delete-coded, too.

• The brand’s primary colours are black and white - timeless, easy to forget, analogue.
• Their supporting colours are naturally occurring purples, greens and neutrals - inspiration gathered from the great outdoors (where they want their users to be).
• The ‘H’ and ‘i’ in the logo are linked together by a wisp - signifying the first ‘hi’ of a new relationship.

This narrative isn’t performative: it runs through the very core of the brand, earning consumer brand loyalty, even if they don’t know exactly why.

For your brand: Weave your USP into the very fibre of your brand; make it more than just a statement - make it your whole identity.

3. Their mascot is super cute (even though he dies… a lot)

And this whole ‘delete us’ narrative’s greatest finale is the death of the app itself.

Oh, sorry, I mean Hingie - because, yes, Hinge has anthropomorphised their app icon so we develop an emotional attachment to the brand - so cruel (I’m not mad).

But it works, and it works well.

“Hinge wants you to meet someone great, even if it kills us.”

Hinge

Throughout Hinge’s various marketing campaigns, Hingie meets increasingly unhinged endings whenever someone finds love or has a ‘green flag’ moment.

He’s impaled. Set alight. Smashed with a hammer…the list goes on. But each time, Hingie happily sacrifices himself, because, as Hinge’s president and CMO Jackie Jantos states, “[he] lives to die”.

The visual storytelling of the app that’s ‘Designed to be Deleted’ creates an emotional hook with its audience that no other dating app can pull off - and we love them for it.

He’s the best mascot that ever did mascot - RIP, Hingie.

For your brand: Emotional hooks are the key to brand loyalty and longevity: find one, and then kill it (multiple times).

4. Hinge is trying to tackle Gen Z loneliness

There’s more to Hinge than just a dating app - they’re a social movement trying to combat Gen Z loneliness (I bet you didn’t see that one coming.).

Gen Z spend nearly 1,000 hours less than previous generations in the company of another person, and because of this, they feel disconnected, abandoned, and lonely.

Curse you, doomscrolling and brainrot.

Knowing this, Hinge didn’t want to just be another time-sucking, screen-glueing mobile vampire- their ultimate goal is to connect people in the real world, after all.

“We’re going to help you find your emergency contact.”

Hinge

That’s why Hinge launched their ‘One More Hour’ program, where they funded 100 local groups in London to host social and dating meetups IRL.

This is an excellent example of natural brand community building contributing to organic brand growth.

For your brand: Your community is your brand - be the product they need you to be.

5. The free version of the app is still really good (apparently)

From what I’ve heard on the ol’ grapevine, the free version of the app is still really, really good, which isn’t always the case for dating apps.

And Hinge’s reasoning?

Because everyone deserves to find love.

I’m sorry, but how lovely is that?

“Our free product has far more users, and it is sacred.”

Jackie Jantos, President and CMO of Hinge

For your brand: Remember, there’s more to your brand than just numbers on a spreadsheet.

6. Authentic storytelling is at the heart of everything they do (as are you)

Their business plan might sound questionable at first (the app that’s designed to be deleted - not very long-term brand-building energy, is it?), but Hinge pivoted this boardroom uncertainty into groundbreakingly loyal audience engagement.

How? Through authentic storytelling.

Because, even though you may delete the app, you can never delete the stories. The memories. The lingering last looks.

And Hinge knows this.

That’s why their 'No Ordinary Love' campaign shares real stories from couples who met on the app(with just a touch of added flair from well-known #Booktok creators) as proof that they get the job (or should we say, the date) done.

Inspired by first-person narration in books and movies (When Harry Met Sally vibes), you get a look-in in those initial moments of a budding relationship.

“We’re always interested in projects that challenge dominant narratives and create space for honest, human storytelling.”

Jamie Knowles, managing director at Dazed Studio, who worked with Hinge on this project

From fairytale meet-cutes and hilarious first-date blunders to star-studded coincidences that say, “this was written in the stars”, Hinge woos us into falling in love with them.

And by using #BookTok creators to help create engaging narratives, Hinge brings Romantasy to life (we see you, ACOTAR and Fourth Wing fans) with authentic Rysands and adoring Violets.

You can’t fake that level of romantic attraction - and you can’t forget it, either.

The perfect ad for a dating app, no?

For your brand: authentic storytelling is the most powerful tool in your marketing kit - find them, share them, live them.

7. They moved their campaign onto Substack…

Hinge knows their audience, that’s for sure.

They know their favourite restaurants, films, and hangout spots.

They know where they like to take people on first dates, and they know where they hang out online.

And because of this in-depth knowledge of their audience, they actually moved their ‘No Ordinary Love’ campaign onto Substack - because that’s where their target audience hangs out online.

“We want to complement Substack’s community of writers and readers with honest, authentic perspectives on love from exciting literary voices.”

Jackie Jantos, President and CMO of Hinge

Substack is a publishing social media platform for sharing more long-form content, and is known primarily for its meaningful discussions - hence Hinge fitting right in.

And because of this perfect fit, Hinge comes across as an even more genuine and authentic brand.

For your brand: Know your audience better than your own dog.

8. …And created a zine

And if you thought Hinge couldn’t get any cooler, well, they did.

Because they created a zine.

Published and distributed for their ‘No Ordinary Love’ campaign, Hinge printed out the aforementioned successful love stories and distributed them to select in-person book clubs in New York and London.

And once again, meeting their audience where they are - in the real world.

But also - hello, zine. By taking ‘love’ out of phones and into something that can be held, Hinge has made it tangible and something (hopefully) within reach.

The hope every 20-something in London needs.

“We have a tremendous amount of couples who meet on Hinge. We tell their stories a lot… and because of that storytelling, we grow.”

Jackie Jantos, President and CMO of Hinge

For your brand: Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and add non-digital elements to your campaign.

9. They genuinely care about their users

Hinge is in the business of endings:

• The ending of the consumer/app relationship
• The ending of scrollable hook-up culture
• The ending of your single status

Because Hinge genuinely cares about you.

They measure their success through deletes rather than downloads, because you falling in love is their profit margin.

Their ROI.

Their bottom line.

They’re not here for the scrolls, the likes, or the clicks.

They’re here to help you find love.

And they don’t want returning customers.

“At its core, we are designing for an outcome, and that outcome is a great date.”

Jackie Jantos, President and CMO of Hinge

For your brand: Always have your target audience at the heart of everything you do.

An ode to Hinge

To some, Hinge may just be a dating app. An icon on their phone, downloaded on a whim - on a drunken night out - in desperation at thwarting loneliness.

But to others, it’s the start of a new adventure - full of sensational side-quests and out-of-this-world friendships, all leading to the show’s finale: meeting a soulmate.

To me, Hinge is a fabulous brand that doesn’t deserve to be lumped in with other dating apps - because it’s more than just an app.

It’s a narrative.

It’s a story - your story.

It gives you the pen, the paper, and even the ink to control your own love-life - with just a little helping hand.

So even though I’m married, I’m rooting for Hinge - the little app that could.

I want it to be a success. I want it to be the world’s no.1 dating app. I want it to become a verb (let me just Hinge them).

Because if they’re a success, then it means you and me and everyone else have found long-lasting true love.

And wouldn’t you just love to live in a world full of love?

“Go on your last first date.”

Hinge

If you’d like more content like this (I promise to rant more about my favourite brands), sign up for our newsletter, and you’ll receive all the latest trends and insights about marketing, merch and more straight to your inbox. Hello, marketing inspiration!