Bumble Bets on Love to Revive Its Brand

Bumble is fighting to win back fatigued daters by turning to a marketing message already adopted by its peers: true love is real, and you can find it on a dating app.The beleaguered dating app, seeking a turnaround amid job cuts and declining revenue, has released a global campaign that spotlights real couples who met on Bumble. As evidence mounts that Gen Z is souring on dating apps, “For the Love of Love,” executed by Bumble’s in-house creative studio, Special US, and Arena Media, makes the case for Bumble’s ability to facilitate real, meaningful relationships. The company has also refreshed its app, with new features including photo verification, personalized recommendations, and a dating advice hub featuring more than 40 pieces of content from relationship experts like Jillian Turecki, Shan Boodram, and Kier Gaines.Running globally from late August until early December, the campaign will comprise out-of-home ads with images by photographer The Collective You, who captured real Bumble couples from around the world. To emphasize the importance of in-person connections, the brand will host invite-only singles nights in cities like New York, Mexico City, London, Berlin, Madrid, and Mumbai. Additional immersive installations will showcase handwritten letters, wedding invitations, and baby photos from former users who found love on the app. The campaign will also feature tie-ups with podcasts including The Mel Robbins podcast, Goop, and We Can Do Hard Things, as well as editorial partnerships with The New York Times and Vogue.Throughout, Bumble is showcasing findings from a survey conducted with YouGov, which revealed 55% of people believe dating apps can lead to real love, and 45% know someone who’s found love on a dating app.“This campaign is a reminder that love is worth believing in,” Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder and CEO of Bumble, told ADWEEK in a statement. “‘For The Love of Love’ is our way of honoring those who continue to show up with hope—for something honest, deep, and real. We want to make space for that kind of connection.”Bumble’s comeback attemptBumble has a steep hill to climb in rebuilding its brand, after the company axed 30% of its workforce in June. Its stock has lost 90% of its value since going public in 2021, according to CNN, while its second quarter revenue declined by 7.6%.Wolfe Herd, who founded the app in 2014, returned to Bumble as CEO earlier this year to help turn around the business. Bumble’s brand also took a hit last year after a rebrand and ads that sparked backlash for making light of celibacy. The brand later apologized for the campaign. For this new campaign, Bumble took a different approach after connecting with its community, said Neela Pal, senior vice president of global marketing.“Over the years, finding love online has shifted,” Pal told ADWEEK. “It marks a renewed focus on what matters most: helping people find real love, in all its depth, uniqueness, and possibility.”The dating app problemBumble’s challenges mirror those of the wider sector, as increasing numbers of users report dating app fatigue. Match Group, owner of dating apps including Tinder and Hinge, cut 13% of its workforce earlier this year. A 2025 survey from Forbes Health and OnePoll found 78% of all users and 79% of Gen Z have experienced dating app burnout. To tackle this issue, Bumble aims to show how it “brings people closer to love, prioritizing a member experience that drives curiosity, ignites confidence, and sparks joy every step of the way,” Wolfe Herd said. “We’re using everything we’ve learned: the good, the imperfect and the honest, to reimagine what meaningful relationships look like in this next chapter,” she added.Bumble’s competitors have also doubled down on marketing that emphasizes romance and IRL connections. In ads also released this week, Tinder is celebrating the unique feeling of having a crush. Earlier this month, Hinge continued a campaign telling true love stories that began on its app.