Month: January 2026

Reminder: LTR Edition 48 Happening This Wednesday, January 28th

Posted on January 26, 2026

OPW – This is a reminder that LTR Edition 48 will take place this Wednesday, January 28th, at 12:00 PM EST. In this edition, Mark Brooks will be joined by:

  • Ophir Laizerovich, President and Co-Founder of LeadThink. Ophir will talk through tactics and best practices for Google pay-per-click and Facebook paid acquisition for dating companies. He manages millions of dollars a month in lead spend for the dating industry and has been working with dating companies for over 15 years.

Following the interview, Mark will be talking about the Courtland Brooks influencer system. This is a system of ensuring that an influencer integration has the best possible chances of succeeding. Four years of influencer marketing experience wrapped up in 20 minutes.

This LTR is kindly sponsored by HubPeople.ai and Courtland Brooks.

Event graphic for LTR US featuring Ophir Laizerovich, President & Co-Founder of LeadThink, and Mark Brooks, CEO of Courtland Brooks, with an audience in the background

Tinder Teams Up With Sprite in Large-Scale European Packaging Campaign

Posted on January 23, 2026
Two cans, one labeled Sprite and the other labeled Tinder, with a green and white design. The Sprite can features the brand logo prominently, while the Tinder can includes the text 'WIN A SPICY DATE'.

LINKEDIN – Match Group CEO Spencer Rascoff highlighted a new rollout in select European markets where the Tinder logo will appear on hundreds of millions of Sprite cans, marking a large-scale offline branding push through mass consumer packaging.

See full article at LinkedIn

Vybes Turns Dating App Into Creator-Led Reality Series to Drive Growth

Posted on January 23, 2026
Logo of VYBES featuring a stylized heart design with the text 'More than a dating app' underneath.

NET INFLUENCER – Vybes, a Gen Z dating app, launched Vybes Villa, a creator-led reality series on YouTube to show how its product works in real life rather than relying on traditional dating-app advertising. The show features creators and real Vybes members, highlighting the app’s video-first “Vybe Check” model and focus on intentional, in-person connection. Since the premiere, the company reports an eightfold increase in weekly downloads and conversion rates of ~60%, positioning original content as a core driver of trust, adoption, and brand differentiation.

See full article at Net Influencer

Bumble Restructures Leadership as Profitability Pressures Persist

Posted on January 22, 2026
Bumble

GURUFOCUS – Bumble is restructuring its leadership, leading to the departure of Chief Product Officer Michael Affronti after about a year, as the company consolidates Product, Engineering, and Design under a single leader to streamline development. The move follows CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd’s return and aims to sharpen product focus amid profitability challenges. Financially, Bumble has strong liquidity but remains loss-making, with negative margins and an Altman Z-Score in the distress zone. 

See full article at GuruFocus

Gen Z Dating Shifts Toward Financial Stability and Long-Term Commitment, Says Coffee Meets Bagel CEO

Posted on January 22, 2026
CoffeeMeetsBagel app

BUSINESS INSIDER – Gen Z dating is increasingly driven by financial stability and long-term planning, according to Quincy Yang, CEO of Coffee Meets Bagel. Yang says rising housing and living costs have made the traditional American dream unaffordable without dual incomes, pushing young adults to seek committed, financially stable partners rather than casual hookups. Data from Coffee Meets Bagel’s survey of US users aged 21–35 shows 54% prioritize financial stability and nearly 60% value ambition, reflecting a pragmatic shift toward relationships that support economic security and shared life goals.

See full article at Business Insider

HER Dating App Sparks Debate With Suggestive Billboard Campaign

Posted on January 22, 2026
'Everything reminds me of HER...' campaign

THE PINK NEWS – HER, a lesbian dating app, went viral after placing suggestive bowling ball–themed billboards in New York and Los Angeles as part of a New Year campaign. The ads sparked widespread discussion on TikTok, drawing both criticism and praise for their explicit innuendo. The attention highlights HER’s use of provocative marketing to stand out, alongside its continued emphasis on being an inclusive platform for queer women and non-binary users.

See full article at The Pink News

Match Group Released The Human Connection Study

Posted on January 22, 2026
Match Group's Human Connection Study

MATCH GROUP – According to The Human Connection Study, a survey conducted by The Harris Poll and commissioned by Match Group in partnership with the Kinsey Institute, Gen Z remains highly optimistic about love but hesitant about commitment. While 80% of Gen Z singles believe they will find true love, only 55% feel ready for a relationship, largely because they believe they must first achieve personal growth, emotional stability, and strong boundaries. This high bar for “readiness” is contributing to delayed partnerships and increased loneliness, with many seeking connections primarily to avoid feeling alone rather than to pursue romance.

Read the full study

Berlin Court Places Spark Networks Services Under Preliminary Insolvency Administration

Posted on January 20, 2026
Logo of Spark Networks

VERBRAUCHERSCHUTZFORUM  – The Charlottenburg District Court has placed Spark Networks Services GmbH, a Berlin-based online dating and matchmaking provider, under preliminary insolvency administration after the company applied for insolvency due to financial difficulties. As of 16 January 2026, enforcement actions by creditors have been halted, and the company may only make dispositions with the approval of a court-appointed administrator. Dr. Philipp Hackländer has been appointed to oversee management, secure the company’s assets, and assess whether sufficient funds exist to proceed with formal insolvency proceedings. The decision marks an interim phase in which it will be determined whether the business can be restructured, continued, or must enter full insolvency.

See full article at Verbraucherschutzforum

Info Edge Invests ₹10 Crore in Dating Platform Aisle Amidst Losses

Posted on January 20, 2026
Logos of Info Edge and Aisle

WHALESBOOK – Info Edge (India) has invested ₹10 crore (~$1.1M) in dating app Aisle through its subsidiary Jeevansathi Internet Services to support the dating platform’s working capital. The investment comes despite Aisle posting a net loss of ₹17.8 crore (~$2M) in FY25, even as revenue grew to ₹39.62 crore (~$4.3M).

See full article at Whalesbook

EU Blocks “Matchmove Global” Trademark After Challenge by Match Group

Posted on January 20, 2026
EU Blocks “Matchmove Global” Trademark After Challenge by Match Group

LAW360 – Match Group has convinced European Union officials to block a financial technology company from registering “Matchmove Global” as a trademark, finding that users could confuse the name as an extension of its online dating services.

See full article at Law360