Dating app Bumble apologizes for its recent ad campaign that mocked individuals who choose celibacy over dating.
Last month, Bumble updated its app and brand design to attract users that are “exhausted” by the dating scene. As part of this effort, the company launched a series of advertisements that read, “You know full well a vow of celibacy is not the answer” and “Thou shalt not give up on dating and become a nun.” The ads quickly sparked a backlash on social media, with users calling out the app for shaming celibacy.
“We made a mistake,” the company said in an Instagram post. “Our ads referencing celibacy were an attempt to lean into a community frustrated by modern dating, and instead of bringing joy and humor, we unintentionally did the opposite.”
As a result, Bumble announced that they will be removing the ads and making donations to the National Domestic Violence Hotline and other organizations that’s aimed at supporting women. Additionally, the company will also offer the billboard space to these organizations, allowing them showcase “an ad of their choice” for the rest of the remaining duration Bumble had reserved them for.
Nevertheless, social media users criticized the ad for going against Bumble’s founding principles, which was to create a more welcoming dating environment for women. Critics claimed that the ad campaign was dismissive towards those with a different lifestyle, such as asexual users and people who are battling sexual trauma. See what social media users had to say below:
https://twitter.com/lightterminal/status/1789398539686023271?s=46
