Hinge dating app's $1M initiative tackles loneliness among Gen Z
Hinge's groundbreaking $1M initiative, 'One More Hour,' is geared towards combatting Gen Z loneliness by providing vital support and grants up to $25,000 to Gen Z-focused social groups and organizations based in NYC, LA, and Atlanta
Article Brief:
Dating app Hinge has announced a new social impact initiative, “One More Hour,” intended to inspire more in-person connections among Gen Z, per a press release.
A $1 million fund supports the initiative, offering grants of up to $25,000 to social groups and organizations in New York City, Los Angeles, and Atlanta that are focused on helping young people find a sense of belonging.
Hinge will monitor the impact on consumers' well-being and track the number of connections made through the initiative. This initiative builds on the dating app's other efforts to address loneliness and comes as other marketers prioritize in-person events.
Article Insight:
Hinge, a dating app centered around forming social connections, is expressing concern about the decreasing amount of time that young adults spend together. Recent data shows that today's young adults spend 1,000 fewer hours annually engaging in face-to-face social interactions compared to 20 years ago. In response, Hinge is launching One More Hour to address this trend.
“Saying we need more time to connect with others in person is easy, but actually doing it can be challenging,” said Josh Penny, Hinge's director of social impact. “Social clubs and groups offer young adults the chance to consistently connect and find community. With One More Hour's new fund, we aim to make these resources more accessible.”
Starting in January 2024, Hinge will be accepting applications from organizations in three designated cities to receive grants ranging from $10,000 to $25,000 each. To determine recipients and benchmarks, Hinge has partnered with DoSomething Strategic and the Foundation for Social Connection. Final decisions will be made with the help of a group of Gen Z judges. Hinge will track the number of connections made and measure success through surveys to assess the impact on participants’ well-being.
The One More Hour initiative is just one of the ways that Hinge has been promoting in-person connections. Earlier this year, the company joined the Coalition to End Social Isolation & Loneliness, and in September, it worked with the Foundation for Social Connection to create a distraction-free dating guide. Amidst the pandemic, Hinge also partnered with the U.S. surgeon general to combat loneliness within the dating community.
As consumer behaviors return to pre-pandemic norms, other marketers are also prioritizing in-person events and activations. For example, American Eagle, a Gen Z retailer, expanded its back-to-school marketing with a two-day pop-up event in New York City in September. CMO Craig Brommers described this as the brand's biggest outdoor push since the pandemic. Bath & Body Works also encouraged busy consumers to take a moment to pause through a creative platform and dropped a 10-foot candle in New York City's Herald Square earlier this month.
Other dating apps have made efforts this year to strengthen their relationship with users, in addition to Hinge. In October, Tinder partnered with "Mean Girls" actor Jonathan Bennett for a marketing campaign to raise awareness about toxic online behavior. In July, Bumble collaborated with the "Barbie" movie to give users the opportunity to match with the various versions of Barbie and Ken characters from the film.
