LINKEDIN – Alex Sergeev has joined Blazr as co-founder and head of growth. Blazr is a social network and dating app for the cannabis-friendly community, connecting medical users, recreational consumers, and anyone who shares those interests. Sergeev brings experience from Social Discovery Group, Reflex Media, SkaDate, and FunnelFlex AI, strengthening Blazr’s growth and product capabilities.
THE CURRENCY – The dating industry is at a crossroads. User growth has plateaued. Apps paired addictive features with culturally resonant marketing. Tinder is synonymous with modern dating. Bumble is the feminist alternative. The pandemic was a renaissance for dating apps. “Never were people more aware of their singleness than during Covid. There was this horrible effect, this extended period where people were acutely aware they were alone,” noted Mark Brooks, a veteran strategic advisor to the dating industry. “We’re now seeing a return to pre-pandemic growth patterns, but without the same user enthusiasm,” he added.
Swiping prioritizes quantity over quality, with endless matches but few meaningful connections. This gamified approach led to singles criticizing for failing to deliver genuine connection. Court cases have tarnished the industry, and allegations of fake profiles and data misuse deepened consumer mistrust, leading to disillusionment and “dating fatigue”. Thursday hosts casual mixers and quirky speed-dating sessions and announced the closure of its core app, citing “rapidly declining consumer interest in dating apps” and is “doubling down” on in-real-life dating. Mark Brooks’s take is: “Thursday is drawing people who are real-world-oriented, not so inclined towards online dating.”
A lack of innovation has left the door wide open for social media platforms to enter the arena. Blazr, for the cannabis-friendly community, is a prime example, with 130k users. FarmersOnly caters to rural daters. The platforms that succeed will be those that prioritize meaningful connections, position themselves as lifestyle brands, and rebuild consumer trust.
by Andrea Linehan
See full article at The Currency
Mark Brooks: This will be the hot topic at the upcoming Global Dating Insights conference in NYC on Wed 19th March, and at the LTR (Love, Technology, Relationships) online mini-conference on Wed 2nd April.
See the top news on Thursday See the top news on Bumble
See all posts on FarmersOnly See the top news on Tinder
NEW YORK TIMES – Apr 21 – "Cannabis is almost an analogy for being authentic," said Ms. Peckler, the founder of Highly Devoted in LA, an online matchmaker that connects cannabis-using singles. "If this is a part of your life, then you should be honest about that, especially if you're trying to start a romantic relationship with someone." The My420Mate and High There are two of the other dating services that connect people based on their mutual affection for cannabis. Ms. Peckler thought of the idea for Highly Devoted after meeting her husband when smoking with him and his friends while attending the University of Illinois. She worked as a matchmaker in Chicago, followed by a job with a cannabis consultation firm that advised medical and recreational marijuana dispensaries in emerging markets. She formed Highly Devoted in 2015.
by Dan Hyman
See full article at New York Times
by Matt Lindner
See full article at Chicago Tribune
See all posts on Match.com See all posts on HighThere!
See all posts on OkCupid See all posts on My420Mate
RIVERFRONT TIMES – June 2 – My420Mate.com launched this April to connect marijuana users looking for romance. The site is for medical-marijuana patients and casual smokers.
by Lindsay Toler
The full article was originally published at Riverfront Times, but is no longer available.