At the end of April, dating service Bumble launched a marketing campaign criticizing «celibacy» along with rebranding and app updates.
The ads used slogans such as «The vow of celibacy is not a way out» and «Don’t give up dating and be a nun» — and eventually attracted the attention of users, but not with the feedback they had planned.
Many accused Bumble of being tasteless and that their ads were completely inconsistent with the service’s stated purpose of «empowering women» and «challenging outdated norms of heterosexual dating».
A number of social media posts claimed that Bumble allegedly «pressures women to sleep with men beyond their actual desire» and hints that «women cannot choose their own sexual activity».
Shocked by the @bumble ad saying ‘a vow for celibacy is not the answer.’ In a world fighting for respect and autonomy over our bodies, it’s appalling to see a dating platform undermine women’s choices. Wasn’t this app supposed to empower women to date on their terms?
— Jordan Emanuel (@_jordyjor) May 13, 2024
Well… it is done.
After 5 years, I have finally erased my Bumble account. My main reason is lack of motivation to update it and lousy luck, but then I caught wind of a horridly misogynistic campaign to shame women into making themselves more available to men
— Student of Ture #BLACKLIVESMATTER (@EXSkywarp) May 13, 2024
The dating service has now apologized for the ad, calling it a «mistake» and promising to remove all ads that promoted «anti-chastity».
«Our advertisement, which mentions celibacy, was an attempt to attract the attention of a society disillusioned with modern dating, and instead of bringing joy and humor, we inadvertently did the opposite», — the service said in a statement.
Bumble emphasized that over the years, «has been diligently protecting» women and their right to choose.
«This campaign was not in line with our values and we apologize for the harm it caused».
The dating app Bumble was launched in 2014 and was distinguished by the fact that only women were the first to send messages. Currently, Bumble is going through a tough time — since July 2023, the company’s shares have been falling steadily and currently down almost 45%. In February, Bumble laid off 30% of its 350 employees, and in April, it launched a redesign of the app to make it more attractive to the younger generation.