Grant Langston: Navigating eHarmony Milestones

Posted on January 28, 2026

LTR – Join us for an in-depth discussion with Grant Langston, the original marketing lead and former CEO of eHarmony. Grant reflects on the early days of eHarmony, the unique challenges of building and scaling one of the most renowned online dating platforms, and the pivotal moments that saved the company from bankruptcy. He also shares insights from his tenure as CEO where he navigated financial distress, legal battles, and evolving media strategies to turn eHarmony into a success story. Moving beyond eHarmony, Grant delves into his current role at Warehouse Exchange and the transformative impact of AI on business operations. This conversation provides valuable lessons on innovation, resilience, and the continuously evolving landscape of online dating.

[**See the video here on YouTube**]

The December LTR was kindly sponsored by Courtland Brooks

Nearly Half of Kiwi Online Daters Would Date an AI

Posted on January 28, 2026
dating an ai

SECURITYBRIEF – Nearly half of New Zealand online daters would consider dating an AI, according to Norton, with 48% open to AI relationships and 25% believing romantic feelings toward AI are possible. Many daters already use AI for emotional support, profile writing, flirting practice, and dating advice, sometimes trusting AI more than friends or family, even as most say they are uncomfortable when others use AI to alter photos or messages.

See full article at SecurityBrief

iOS and Google Play Online Dating App Rankings (January ’26 Update)

Posted on January 28, 2026
Data.ai logo

We’ve updated the rankings using the latest January 2026 U.S. data from Data.ai. Tinder remains the top-grossing dating app across both the App Store and Google Play. Bumble has slid to #3, with Hinge now ranking #2. Other leading apps, including Grindr, Yubo, Taimi, Raya, and Feeld, continue to place across the dating and social networking categories.

Left Field Dating App Lands $200K on Shark Tank to Disrupt Endless Swiping

Posted on January 27, 2026
Let Field on Shark Tank

MSN – Left Field is an AI dating app featured on Shark Tank that aims to move away from endless swiping by focusing on real-life connections. Launched in February 2025, it had ~5K users at the time of filming and uses AI and approximate location data to suggest socially proximate matches. The founders secured $200K in funding from Kendra Scott and Alexis Ohanian in exchange for 8% equity plus advisory shares, signaling strong investor confidence despite ongoing public debate about location-based safety.

See full article at MSN

Thursday Partners With PepsiCo on Branded Singles Event

Posted on January 26, 2026
Promotional image for the event 'Love at First Sip' featuring two people smiling and posing, with details about the event date and location.

LINKEDIN – Thursday has partnered with PepsiCo to launch a branded singles night in London this February, combining an in-person dating event with Pepsi-branded cocktails. The event is designed as a structured IRL social format, with guided seating, short dating games, and limited capacity, and will take place at The Ministry in Borough. The collaboration follows a similar offline brand move announced last week, when Tinder revealed a large-scale European partnership with Sprite, placing the Tinder logo on hundreds of millions of cans across select markets.

See full article at LinkedIn

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