TECH2 – July 11 – WhatsApp in India prohibits promotional content, restricts mass distribution of brand messages. Big brands like Zomato, McDonald's, Reebok, Tinder, among others are reportedly using branded GIFs and stickers to push ads on WhatsApp.
Category: All Worldwide (non UK/Euro/US)
Blued Launches LGTBQ Anti Cyber Bullying Campaign in India
Tinder Lite to Launch in Vietnam
THE VERGE – July 10 – Tinder Lite app is 25 times smaller than the main app, and while it maintains the core functionality, like swiping, it nixes more data-heavy ones, like the Feed. The idea is that Tinder Lite is faster, requires less battery life, and reduces data usage. For now, Tinder Lite users can't upgrade to a Tinder Plus or Gold subscription within the app, but the company says it plans to do so over time. The app will be available through Google Play in Vietnam in the "coming weeks" and will subsequently come to other areas in Southeast Asia and South America.
Facebook Dating to Allow Users to See if Their Friends Have a Crush on Them
VOGUE INDIA – July 9 – Following the launch of Facebook Dating in Colombia, Thailand, Argentina and Mexico, the app is slowly expanding to more countries including: Singapore, Malaysia, Brazil, Vietnam and the Philippines. It is also set to debut in the US in late 2019, and Australia shouldn't be too far behind either. The inbuilt app has eliminated the Tinder-style swipe right, swipe left mechanism and has a unique algorithm that matches users with potential love interests instead. One important feature of this algorithm is called "Secret Crush", where users can find out whether or not their real life friends might have a crush on them. Users can add up to nine friends on the list and Facebook notifies these friends that they have a secret admirer. The admirer won't be revealed unless there is a mutual secret crash.
Lumen CMO Strives to Make the Brand Synonymous With Anti-ageism
CMO.COM.AU – July 4 – Gaining brand synonymity with anti-ageism is the big ambition for co-founder and CMO of Lumen, a dating app for the over 50s market. This week, Lumen launched its first TV commercial in Australia, featuring the over 50s Atlanta-based dance troupe, Silver Classix Crew, performing a Tron dance in LED suits. Prior to the TVC, Lumen has been investing largely in billboard advertising, Facebook advertising and PR, taking both a risqué and humour-based approach in its messaging.
Matrimony.com to Dial Down on Wedding Services
CNBC TV – July 3 – Aside from its core business of online match-making, Matrimony.com runs wedding services like MatrimonyMandap, MatrimonyPhotography and MatrimonyBazaar among others. The company expects its Wedding Services vertical to register 50% – 100% growth in FY20. Matrimony.com's non-core businesses contribute just 5% to the company's annual revenues, which stood at Rs 335 crore ($49M) in FY19.
Chinese Dating App Tantan Returns to Android App Stores
THAT'S – July 3 – Dating app Tantan has been relaunched on Chinese Android app stores after going through a 'rehabilitation period' since the end of April. The app is still not available via the Chinese version of the Apple App Store. Tantan previously stated that the app had been taken off because of violations of regulations and that they would be taking a period of time to undergo "self-examination and self-correction."
To Win Over Asia, Tinder Is Trying to Shed Its Hookup Image
Young Saudis Are Starting to Date More Openly
by Rory Jones & Donna Abdulaziz
See full article at Wall Street Journal
Indians Are Now Finding Life Partners Via Dating Apps
MONEY CONTROL – June 28 – 80% of TrulyMadly's paid user base, which is ~100K, is looking for 'something serious'. Gone are the days when Indians would directly go to matrimonial sites to look for marriage prospects. Now, more and more people are preferring to get on to dating apps to find love and take the next stop forward. According to a survey conducted by Assocham Social Media Foundation last year, a large group of respondents said instead of matrimonial sites or newspaper ads, they would use a dating app to find their life partner. TrulyMadly is one of India's leading dating apps. "We have positioned ourselves as a dating app for those looking for something serious. That’s why ~50% of the app's active users are 28 years or older and 70% are 26 and older." According to Statista, revenue in the online dating segment amounts to approximately Rs 428 crore ($62M) in 2019 and the user penetration is 2.9%, expected to hit 3.2% by 2023. The average revenue per user (ARPU) currently amounts to ~Rs 108 ($1.57). TrulyMadly declined to share financial details.