Bumble Brand Audit A Comprehensive Assesment of the Bumble Brand - RachelLabogld IMC613 April29,2020 - rachel labgold
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Bumble
Brand Audit
A Comprehensive Assesment of the Bumble Brand
Rachel Labogld IMC 613 April 29, 2020
Bumble Brand Audit
Table of Contents
1. Executive Sumary 3
2. History of Online Dating Industry 4
3. The Industry Defined 4
4. Industry Leader - Tinder 5
5. POP/POD Analysis 6
6. Competitor - Hinge 6
7. Brand Inventory 7
a. Corporate Overview 7
b. Bumble Target Audience 9
c. Brand Elements 10
d. Brand Products 11
e. Pricing 13
f. App Distribution 14
g. Communication 14
h. Advertising 14
i. Secondary Brand Associations 16
j. Positioning Statement 17
8. Brand Exploratory 18
a. Profile of Bumble User 18
b. Consumer Perceptions of Industry 20
c. Consumer Perceptions of Bumble 22
d. Comparative Perceptions - In Class Study 24
9. Recommendations 27
a. Adjust Pricing Strategy 28
b. Focus On Bumble Dating 29
c. Leverage Safety Association 30
d. Increase Digital Conversations 31
10. Conclusion 32
11. References 33
2
Bumble Brand Audit
Executive Summary
The following report provides a thorough
examination by assessing the Bumble brand
through a comprehensive Brand Audit. In doing
so, the Bumble brand will be evaluated in terms of
brand health and brand equity. More definitively,
the audit will outline Bumble’s equity in terms of
the services offered along with uncovering the
true perception of the brand from the consumer’s
perspective.
Following the detailed analysis of the brand’s
internal and external attributes-- including a
competitive analysis of the industry leader-- the
audit will provide definitive recommendations for
the Bumble brand. These recommendations will
help the company address brand challenges and
take hold of valuable industry opportunities. If
implemented, the solutions proposed through the
following brand audit will help the Bumble brand
gain a competitive advantage in the online dating
industry through a strategic plan for the future.
3
Bumble Brand Audit
History of the Online Dating Industry
People have been meeting each other through published profiles long before the dating industry
moved online. Since the 17th century, those seeking romance have be publishing personal ads
in newspapers. Even before online dating became an industry, people began using the internet
to meet others since its invention through chatroom in AOL and Craigslist. It wasn’t until 1995
when Match.com launched, making it the first official online dating site (Matthews, 2018).
Fast Forward to 2007, the online dating industry was again revolution with the introduction
of the iPhone. The dating site Zoosk became the first online dating site to offer a mobile app.
However, no brand revolutionized the online dating industry like the current industry leader
– Tinder. In 2012, Tinder completely changed the industry by introducing its unique swiping
system and location-based matching which is now standard for most dating apps (Matthews,
2018).
The Industry Defined
The Online Dating industry, which includes dating websites along with dating apps, had a
market value of $3 billion in 2018 and is set to grow by 25% this year, 2020. Almost 50 million
Americans claim to have used or currently use an online dating platform. Online dating services
are profitable through 3 broad categories: premium subscription features, online advertising and
in app purchases. Within the market, there are nearly 2,000 online dating platforms making for
a highly competitive market (Lin, 2018). Of those platforms, there are 10 brands that make up
nearly 30 million users or 60% of U.S. consumers on dating platforms. Tinder holds the largest
share of the market with nearly 8 million users, followed by Bumble with around 3 million less
users.
Brand Users in Millions % of total Users
1 Tinder 7.86 16%
2 Bumble 5.03 10%
3 Plenty Of Fish 4.28 8%
4 Match.com 1.95 4%
5 OkCupid 1.79 3%
6 Grider 1.64 3%
7 Hinge 1.21 2%
8 Zoosk 0.91 2%
9 MeetMe 0.91 2%
10 Ashley Madison 0.85 1%
Figure 1. Brand User Percentages. This figure illustrates the breakdown of
brands in the online dating industry based on total users. (Clement, 2020).
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Bumble Brand Audit
Figure 2. Brand Profits. This figure illustrates
each brand’s profit per minute. (Hargrave,
2017).
Industry Leader- Tinder
https://tinder.com/
The dating app, Tinder, is the clear industry leader for the Online Dating market. With nearly 3
million more users than Bumble, Tinder holds the largest share of the market at 7.89 million total
users in 2019. The target consumer is very similar to Bumble in that they both target 18-29 year
olds of both genders; however, more of Tinder’s users are male (70%). The brand is profitable by
using advertisements and in app purchases, similar to Bumble. Both offer a subscription based
upgrade that unlocks additional features within the service (Stobber, 2019).
Tinder, along with the three next popular online dating options (Plenty of Fish, Match.com, and
Ok Cupid) are all owned by the Match Group. The group has taken a special interest in buying
the major players in the market including purchasing international competitors as well. In 2018,
the Match Group’s total revenue was $1.73 billion (Cardona, 2019).
The main Point-of-difference between the industry leader and Bumble is the messaging feature
within the service. While Bumble only allows women to message men first, Tinder allows the
messaging to start from either party. A huge POD for Tinder is their pricing strategy. The brand
varies their subscription price based off the age of the user. Users over 30 pay a higher price than
users under 30 years old.
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Bumble Brand Audit
POP/POD Analysis
Bumble Tinder
Points-Of-Difference Points-Of-Parity Points-Of-Difference
• Women Message first • Swipe to Match • More users, increasing
• Dating, Friendship and • Location Based Matching usability of app
Networking Platform • Premium Upgrade • Invented swipe match
• Brand emphasis on • Free to Download technology
Gender Equality • Easy Sign up • Varies Upgrade price on
• Perceived as safest age
dating app
• Quality Profiles over
Quantity
Competitor-Hinge
https://Hinge.co/
Another challenger to the Industry leader that has a similar platform to both Bumble and Tinder
is Hinge. This platform has a significantly smaller share of the market with only 2% of total
online dating consumers in the U.S. but is still within the top 10 platforms. In 2019, the platform
was bought by Tinder’s parent brand, The Match Group (“Hinge Review,” n.d.).
The app does not use the same swiping method to create matches; however it does use similar
location based technology. Their tagline is “designed to be deleted.” While they share a small
percentage of the industry market, they share a similar consumer perspective as Bumble as being
for more serious romance seekers (“Hinge Review,” n.d.).
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Bumble Brand Audit
Brand Inventory
To evaluate the health of the Bumble brand, the audit must first profile the current products and
services sold by the company and outline the use of its various marketing and branding tactics.
This is done through the brand inventory which provides a comprehensive overview and crucial
base for further research. By assessing the brands profile, the brand inventory will display the
extent of consistency between the brand’s assets.
Corporate Overview
MagicLab is a London-based startup that builds
and manages several dating and social networking
apps including Badoo, Chappy, Lumen and Bumble.
More than half a billion people have been connected
through the MagicLab corporation through the
various networking apps (“MagicLab,” n.d.). CEO
of Bumble, Whitney Wolfe Herd, joined MagicLab
in 2014 to create the Bumble brand after leaving
her position with the industry’s leader, Tinder. In
2019, Herd became the CEO of MagicLab when The
Blackstone Group -- a global alternative investment
firm -- acquired the startup, valuing the company at about $3 billion (Lewis, 2020). Heading into
2019, MagicLab’s annual revenue growth was about 40%. Bumble is the corporation’s only brand
that falls in the top 10 online dating platforms in the U.S by users at around 60 million total users
(Clement, 2020). While Badoo is MagicLab’s most successful brand worldwide, its U.S users
amount to about 12 million (“Andrey Andreev,” 2019).
Figure 3. Brand User Percentages. This figure illustrates the breakdown
of brands in the online dating industry based on total users.
(Clement, 2020).
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Bumble Brand Audit
Badoo
Founded in 2006 by former MagicLab CEO, Andrey Andreev, Badoo is the world’s largest used
dating platform, operating in 190 countries. The platform currently has nearly 400 million users
making up nearly 80% of MagicLab’s users. MagicLab estimates nearly 4 billion matches are
made annually through the Badoo platform. Badoo operates using the freemium model that
allows free use of the basic features and premium charges for additional features. In 2019, the
platform’s revenue was nearly $400 million (“Andrey Andreev,” 2019).
Chappy
Founded in 2017, the Chappy platform brought another level of inclusivity to the MagicLab
brand by creating a platform specifically for gay men. The app differed from other dating
platforms by allowing men to specify whether they are looking for a serious relationship, or
something casual. The platform had just over 600,000 users making up less than 1% of total
users of MagicLab’s brands. In February 2020, the Chappy app was officially shut down and
folded into the Bumble brand. With nearly 100 times the amount of users, Bumble aims to
provide a bigger platform for the audience of Chappy by creating a more LGBTQ+ friendly
environment (Manzella, 2020).
Lumen
Founded in September 2018, the Lumen platform aims to connect individuals over 50 years old
through its dating platform. In its first year, the new platform gained about 1.5 million users
(“Andrey Andreev,” 2019).
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Bumble Brand Audit
Bumble Target Audience
Nearly 70% of Bumble users are between the ages 18-29, making the millennial generation
the primary target market. This main market for Bumble can also be characterized as both
heterosexual males and females (Lin, 2018). It’s important to note that the target market consists
of a proportional rate of men and women to ensure the usability of the dating platform. These
individuals are currently single and are looking for a committed relationship or marriage, not
casual relations. These individuals are looking for an online dating platform that is safe and
doesn’t warrant the same negative perceptions as other online dating services for millennials.
Figure 4. Bumble Sectors. This figure illustrates the networking capabilities of
Bumble.(Clement, 2020).
A secondary market for the Bumble brand can be defined by individuals who have the same
demographics as the main market users but are seeking online networking benefits other than
romantic relationships. This includes individuals looking for friendships or business relations.
Bumble BFF is the platform’s sector that allows users to match with both same and different sex
users to start friendships. Bumble Bizz also uses the platform’s matching capabilities to allow
users to increase their professional network. This business focused market mainly consists of
freelancers using the Bumble platform to find new jobs (“The Bumble Business model,” 2020).
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Bumble Brand Audit
Brand Elements
Bumbles most important brand elements are the colors and logo. Bumbles simple beehive logo is
used on all of its products and marketing. Accompanying the logo, the brand’s signature yellow
is used in both its branding and marketing efforts. More recently, the brand has pushed their
new tagline “Meet New People - Date. Meet Friends. Network.” to target both their primary and
secondary markets. This slogan is consistently used through their marketing and their products
(“Date, Meet, Network,” n.d.).
Another consistent element to their brand is promoting a safe and equal platform for Bumble
users. The main platform for Bumble-- dating-- aims to fight gender stereotypes. This attitude
towards fighting the negative perceptions of other online dating platforms, is a key element to the
brand that can be seen through the branding and marketing of Bumble’s services.
10Bumble Brand Audit
Brand Products
Bumble App
Downloading the Bumble app is free for all users and an online profile can be set up within a
matter of minutes. The easiest way to sign up for Bumble, is to sign up through a Facebook
account. This helps combat users that may be fake or other unwanted users from signing up
easily. The app is geographically based, so that users only see potential matches in their area.
Users can upload profile photos from their Facebook or directly from their camera roll (Lintao,
2019).
Figure 5. Bumble Signup. This figure illustrates the quick and
easy sign up process. (Vincent, 2020)
Unlike other platforms, Bumble has strict photo guidelines users must follow that help the
platform maintain its safe perception:
• No kids on their own. They must be in the photo with an adult, and fully clothed.
• No photos in bikinis/swimwear indoors.
• No pictures in underwear.
• No Shirtless/underwear Mirror Selfies.
• Face must be clearly visible in all photos.
• No watermarks or text overlaid.
• No pornographic material.
• No graphic hunting photos.
11Bumble Brand Audit
The app uses the standard dating app feature of “swiping” to match with other users.
Swiping profiles to the right sends a like to that user while swiping to the left, removes the
profile. Once both users swipe right on each other, a match is revealed. Contrary to other online
dating services, Bumble then only allows the women to message the men first (unless of course it
is a same sex match, where either user can message first). For the Bumble BFF and Bumble Bizz
platforms, either user can message first. After a match is made, if a message is not sent within
the first 24 hours, the match is deleted. Users have the option of switching between all three
platforms-- dating, friendships, and professional networking--within the same Bumble app at any
time (“The Bumble Business model,” 2020).
Figure 6. Bumble Match. This figure Illustrates the matching
process for Bumble. (Vincent, 2020)
Once the app is downloaded, Users have the opportunity to purchase Bumble’s premium add on
features called Spotlight and Boost.
Spotlight Upgrade
Users have the option of purchasing Bumble coins within the app. They can either purchase 30
coins, 15 coins or 5 coins at a time. Users can then pay two coins to have their profile placed in
the front of the match queue. This increases their profiles visibility among other users in the area.
Once the Spotlight is purchased with the Bumble coins, the feature lasts for 30 minutes (“The
Bumble Business model,” 2020).
Boost Upgrade
The other premium feature functions through a subscription-based fee. Users can purchase the
feature for a week, month, three months or lifetime to unlock the Boost features. With the
12Bumble Brand Audit
subscription, users receive the following additional features:
• Match with old connections
• Receive unlimited search filters
• Swipe without limits
• Receive a list of likes
• Extended match to 48 hours
The other premium feature functions through a subscription-based fee. Users can purchase
the feature for a week, month, three months or lifetime to unlock the Boost features. With the
subscription, users receive the following additional features:
Pricing
Downloading, setting up a profile and using the basic features of the Bumble app are free. The
free features include swiping to match with other users and messaging between users. Bumble
Date, BFF and BIZZ are all on the same app and are all free to use.
To use Bumble Spotlight, users can purchase either 5, 15 or 30 coins. The more coins you buy,
the lower the price per coin. The 30 coins purchase is the most popular amongst users.
Figure 7. Bumble Spotlight. This figure illus- Figure 8. Bumble Boost. This figure illus-
trates the price for Bumble Spotlight. (“The trates the pricing for Bumble Boost. (“The
Bumble Business model,” 2020). Bumble Business model,” 2020).
To purchase Bumble’s subscription, Boost, users can choose the periodic payment to choose the
price. The subscription can be cancelled at any time. The 1 week subscription is the most popular
amongst Bumble Users.
13Bumble Brand Audit
Users can also purchase gift cards from Bumble’s webpage that can be used by a user to purchase
coins or subscriptions (“The Bumble Business model,” 2020).
App Distribution
Within the Apple App Store, the Bumble app is listed #8 on the Top Chart for Lifestyle apps. The
app is listed #131 on the top charts for all free apps. The app has nearly 60 million users and over
2 billion matches made a year (“Andrey Andreev,” 2019).
Figure 9. Top Grossing Dating Apps. This figure Figure 10. Bumble Popularity. This figure illus-
shows the popularity of the Bumble app. (Romano, trates the popularity of Bumble across the U.S
2019) (Marvin, 2019).
In a survey of 2,000 U.S consumers across the country, only two states claimed Bumble as the
most popular dating app used -- Missouri and Oregon (Marvin, 2019).
Communication
Bumble’s marketing and communications aims to “advance gender equality by allowing women
to make the first move” (“Bumble Fund,” 2019). The brand launched their Bumble Fund to
uphold this image and to help support women led business. They carry this image through
their brand partnerships with inspirational women leaders like Serena Williams. The brand also
backs up their emphasis on safety by actively campaigning for the criminalization of sending
unsolicited nude photos. All of this supports their platform’s features of gender equality and
online safety, which helps combat negative perceptions of online dating.
Advertising
In August 2019, Bumble created an experiential marketing campaign featuring 112 unique
Bumble users located in New York City called #FindThemOnBumble. The brand spent 12
14Bumble Brand Audit
months finding unique users to showcase the users that fit the brand’s mission of empowerment.
Bumble then took these real stories and spread them through multiple channels including
traditional ads and social media (Koltun, 2019).
Figure 11. Bumble Ad. This Figure illustrates the Find Them on Bumble ad.
(McAteer, 2019)
The ads were featured in over 500 subways, bus stops and other popular spots around NYC. They
were also featured on coffee sleeves, pizza boxes and New York Post sleeves. The campaign was
then brought to life online through the hashtag and the webpage www.FindThemOnBumble.
com where consumers could watch the full mini-series on the 112 chosen Bumble users. The
campaign made over 15 million media impressions and reached over 5 million on Twitter alone.
The campaign created a shareable out-of-home experience and has plans to spread to other
popular cities in the U.S (McAteer, 2018).
Figure 12. Bumble OOH Ad. This figure illustrates the OOH effort for Bumble.
(Koltun, 2019).
15Bumble Brand Audit
Secondary Brand Associations
The Bumble brand created the Bumble Fund in 2018 to help support female entrepreneurs. The
fund mainly focuses on funding businesses led by women of color and other underrepresented
groups in venture capital. In 2019, the Bumble Fund partnered with Serena Williams-- female
tennis champion. Williams took on an active role in the Bumble Fund and became a main
investor along with becoming and Bumble Brand ambassador. In January of 2019, Bumble
launched their campaign with Williams, #InHerCourt, calling on women to not only make the
first move in dating, but in their careers. The campaign premiered during the 2019 Super Bowl
(Seal, 2019).
Another notable partnership in 2019, Bumble announced its partnership with Gen G. - global
esports organization- to sponsor the first all-female team of professional Fortnite players.
The partnership aimed to support women in esports, where men usually dominate. Bumble’s
marketing team had noticed that women using Bumble BFF were particularly reaching out to
other women to connect with other female video game players. Bumble took this opportunity to
help promote women in esports along with their own friendship platform (Seal, 2019).
Figure 13. Bumble Fortnite Team. This figure illustrates the Bumble spon-
sored Fortnite Team (Seal, 2019).
In 2016, Bumble implemented their strict photo rules to help promote online safety within their
platform. In 2019, Bumble’s CEO decided to take this position further by not only backing a bill
in Texas to criminalize sending unsolicited nude photos but used Bumble to campaign for the
bill. This effort helped reinforce Bumble’s association with safe online dating (Romano, 2019).
16Bumble Brand Audit
Figure 14. Bumble Campaign. This figure illustrates Bumble’s support in
the Texas Bill campaign (Romano, 2019).
Positioning Statement
To millennials looking for committed relationships Bumble is the online dating brand that fosters
a safe environment and strives for gender equality. The Bumble brand is known for allowing
women to make the first move in dating and beyond.
17Bumble Brand Audit
Brand Exploratory
The Brand Exploratory is an extremely important part of the brand audit because it allows
for a comprehensive analysis of consumer perceptions of the brand. By understanding how
consumers feel and think about the Bumble Brand, the brand’s health can be evaluated efficiently
while determining the sources of brand equity. Through revealing the consumer’s perspective,
the brand can begin to see possible threats and opportunities along with the insights to move
forward.
Profile of Bumble User – Who and What
It has been established that the main audience for Bumble is individuals between the ages 18-29,
or those in the millennial generation. The gender breakdown of users is almost equal, with 60%
women and 40% men. This audience is looking for a safe online dating platform that doesn’t
warrant the same negative perceptions as the online dating industry as a whole. Nearly 85% of
Bumble users are looking for a committed relationship. Between 1-4% of users are looking from
something casual or not serious (“Survey Says,” n.d).
By tracking online conversations about Bumble, the demographics about the social media users
talking about Bumble can give a clearer profile of the average Bumble user. Of the individuals
talking about Bumble, majority of them are in between the ages 25-35 and are predominately
female.
Figure 15. Age and Gender Breakdown. This figure illustrates the
age and gender breakdown of Social Media users talking about
Bumble. (Yeung, 2019).
These individuals use Forums, Reddit and Twitter mostly to have conversations about Bumble.
18Bumble Brand Audit
Figure 16. Where are people talking about Bumble. This
figure illustrates the social media platforms where users are
talking about Bumble. (Yeung, 2019).
More information collected from these social media accounts gives detailed insights into who
these individuals are based on the brands, and press they are interested in. According to the data
collected from this social listening technology, these individuals also favor other dating app
brands like Tinder and Zoosk.
Figure 17. Brands Breakdown. This figure illustrates the brands that
Bumble users also have interest in. (Yeung, 2019).
Their other brand interests like Facebook, Buzzfeed and Instagram, along with their press
interests like Time magazine and Vice, gives extensive insight into who the Bumble user is.
By understanding this valuable intel, Bumble’s equity can be better assessed, and potential
opportunities can be acknowledged. Particularly opportunities to extend marketing efforts into
new media channels, such as the interests outlined in these categories..
19Bumble Brand Audit
Figure 18. Press Breakdown. This figure illustrates the Press outlets
that Bumble users also have interest in. (Yeung, 2019).
Consumer Perceptions of the Online
Before looking at consumer perceptions of the Bumble brand, it’s worth examining perceptions
of the online dating industry as a whole. Over the past 10 years, online dating has increased
significantly because of the introduction of popular dating apps. A study conducted in 2019
showed that 30% of the U.S population has used a dating app. Of those individuals, just over
20% claim to have gone on a date with someone they met through an online dating service and
just over 10% claim to have been in a committed relationship with someone they met through an
online dating service. Despite these numbers rising steadily over time, consumers still hold some
negative perceptions of the industry (Anderson, 2020).
Figure 19. U.S Usage of Online Dating Platforms. This figure Figure 20. Perception of Discrepancy. This figure illustrates nega-
illustrates the percent of U.S adults who have used an online tive consumer perceptions of online dating (Anderson, 2020).
dating service. (Anderson, 2020).
Of online daters, seven in ten users believe that it is common for other users to lie on their
profiles to be more desirable. Due to this perception of discrepancy, 45% of these users claim
to have felt more frustrated than hopeful following their experiences through online dating
(Anderson, 2020).
20Bumble Brand Audit
Another key aspect of online dating that is important to explore through consumer perceptions is
user safety. When taking a look specifically at Bumble’s target audience, female users between
18 and 34 years old, 60% claimed that they had experienced bothersome or harassing behavior
through an online dating service. Of the entire survey population, 46% believed that online
dating platforms are not a safe way of meeting people. This negative perception of online dating
services is higher in the population of people who have never used a dating service. Overall,
women are more likely to see online dating as unsafe compared to men. Age also showed a
correlation to safety perceptions with older participants generally believing online dating to be
more unsafe compared to younger participants (Anderson, 2020).
Figure 21. Perception of Safety. This figure illustrates Figure 22. Gender Perceptions of Online Communi-
consumer perceptions of safety while dating online cation. This figure the perceptions of communication
(Anderson, 2020). frequency between genders (Anderson, 2020).
Considering the Bumble brand position of women messaging first, it is interesting to note gender
perceptions when it comes to communication through online dating. Compared to 24% of
women, 57% of men claimed that they were not receiving enough attention on dating platforms.
On the other hand compared to 6% of men, 30% of women claimed they were receiving too
much attention on dating platforms. These findings will prove to be interesting when specifically
examining consumer perceptions of the Bumble brand, considering the positioning of the brand
(Anderson, 2020).
21Bumble Brand Audit
Consumer Perceptions of Bumble
Quality vs Quantity
While Bumble has significantly less users than the category leader
--Tinder—consumer perceptions seem to show a more positive view of Bumble. By looking
at public social media conversations over the last 10 years, researchers were able to compare
popular dating apps’ level of consumer satisfaction (“A Decade of Dating,” 2020). Of online
conversations about dating apps, 90% were about Tinder compared to 7% of conversations about
Bumble (Yeung, 2019).
Figure 23. Dating App Online Conversations. This figure illustrates the dating apps that consumers are talking about
on social media (Yeung, 2019).
However, based on the research, Bumble had the highest percent of positive conversations,
suggesting higher consumer satisfaction. When looking at consumer conversations regarding
dating app expectations, the research showed that Bumble was “the best app for making a
meaningful match, with a lot of conversation categorized as joyful” (“A Decade of Dating,”
2020).
Figure 24. Positive Conversations of Dating Apps. This fig-
ure illustrates the % of positive conversations about dating
apps on social media (“A Decade of Dating,” 2020).
22Bumble Brand Audit
Price
While the Bumble app and basic features are free to use, around 10% of users pay for a
subscription to unlock more features. Bumble’s subscriptions range from $10.99 a week up
to $149.99 for a lifetime subscription. In a survey conducted of nearly 25,000 former, current
and perspective Bumble users, the participant’s willingness to pay for a subscription varied
depending on user demographics. Keeping in mind that Bumble’s monthly subscription price
is $24.99, the following illustrates consumers’ willingness to pay for a dating app subscription
relative to their age, gender and location.
Relative to age, consumers are more willing to spend more money per month on a dating app,
the older they are. Consumers between 18-30 years-old generally seem willing to pay around $10
a month for the service whereas consumers over 30 are willing to spend closer to $20 a month.
This shows that consumers over 30 are willing to pay nearly twice as much as those under 30
years old (Campbell, n.d.).
Figure 25. Relative Willingness to Pay Based on Age, Gender & Location. This figure illustrates consumers willingness to pay for a dating app
based on age, gender and location (Campbell, n.d.).
Based on gender, men are willing to pay twice as much on dating app services than women are
(Campbell, n.d.). Lastly, based on location, those living in cities are willing to pay twice as much
as those living in rural areas. This could be due to the fact that the subscription features help
users filter through perspective matches faster, which is more helpful in more populated areas
(Campbell, n.d.).
When comparing consumers’ willingness to pay for Tinder to consumers’ willingness to pay for
Bumble, the study found that people were willing to pay about 1/3 more for Bumble than Tinder.
This was mainly due to Bumble’s better perceived experience compared to Tinder (Campbell,
n.d).
Even if consumers are more willing to pay for Bumble’s service than Tinder’s, that still puts the
price below Bumble’s current monthly subscription price. Consumers on average are willing to
pay nearly $10 less a month then the current monthly price for Bumble.
23Bumble Brand Audit
Figure 26. Overall Price Sensitivity. This figure illustrates
Tinder and Bumble’s overall Price Sensitivity (Campbell,
n.d.).
Safety
Considering the high percentage of women who claim to have been harassed while using
an online dating service, the perception of women Bumble users will be telling on whether
Bumble’s women first outlook is effective. In a recent survey conducted with over 4,000 U.S.
dating app users on 14 of the major dating apps, women users claimed they felt the safest while
using Bumble and that the men on Bumble were relatively more respectful compared to the men
on other apps. While 80% of women named Bumble users as the most respectful, 75% of women
named Tinder users as the least respectful out of all app users. Overall, the users reported they
were 9 times more likely to feel safe while meeting someone on Bumble compared to the other
apps. Almost 80% of women said that they feel the safest on Bumble when meeting strangers for
the first time (“Safety First,” n.d).
Comparative Perceptions- In Class Study
A short survey was conducted among West Virginia University Graduate students to gage
comparative consumer perceptions between the Bumble brand and category leader, Tinder. Of
these questions, three particular questions pertain to this comparative analysis that prove to be
insightful measures for the brand exploratory. The survey size was 17 students with a median age
of 30 and 80% female.
The first two questions aim to gather consumer perceptions on the usage reasoning for both apps.
The respondents were asked why they would use either app whether it was to find a relationship,
just for fun, friendships or to network. Respondents who didn’t answer, were not recorded.
24Bumble Brand Audit
33%
42%
17%
8%
Figure 27. Reasons for Using Bumble. This figure illustrates respondents’
reasons for using Bumble.
18%
82%
Figure 28. Reasons for Using Tinder. This figure illustrates respondents’
reasons for using Tinder.
While both responses showed the apps would mainly be used for fun or casually, the reasons for
Bumble were more evenly dispersed between all four answers. The responses for Tinder show an
overwhelming majority using the app for casual relations with no responses for the friends and
business categories. This shows that while Bumble’s users’ perspective still might not be majority
for committed relationships, more users view the app as an option for other relationships beside
causal hook-ups.
The last question addressed the idea that consumer perceptions of Bumble are more positive than
their perception of Tinder. When asked if their perception of Bumble was more positive, equal or
more negative compared to their perception of Tinder, 73% of respondents said they had a
25Bumble Brand Audit
more positive perception of Bumble than Tinder. No respondent claimed that their perception of
Bumble was more negative than Tinder. This supports the evidence that within the online dating
industry, consumer perceptions of Bumble are more positive than the category leader, Tinder.
73%
27%
Figure 29. Bumble User Perceptions. This figure illustrates respondents’ perceptions of Bumble com-
pared to Tinder.
Based on the information presented in the survey coupled with the previous consumer research,
the Bumble brand seems to have a more positive perception compared to other services in
the online dating industry. Users seem to find Bumble’s services higher quality and safer to
use. Bumble users also see the service as a way to do more than just meet others for romantic
purposes including meeting new friends and networking. That being said, the analysis of
consumer perceptions also revealed that there may be issues with Bumble’s pricing strategy.
On the other side, Tinder holds two major attributes over Bumble that are worth comparing.
First, while Bumble does seem to hold a more positive perception, the number of online
conversations about Tinder is more than 12 times the number of conversations about Bumble.
This gives insight into Bumble’s lower user base as well as a potential lower brand awareness.
Secondly, Tinder uses a competitive pricing strategy that is unique in the market. By distributing
subscription prices based on user demographics, Tinder is able to maximize profits and simplify
their options. In other terms, Tinder gives specific pricing options based on the user whereas
Bumble gives all users several pricing options at once. This comparative information is key when
establishing recommendations for the Bumble brand.
26Bumble Brand Audit
Recommendations
A thorough examination into the Bumble brand has revealed key insights into the challenges
the company faces in the online dating industry. The analysis of the brand’s health revealed a
relatively strong brand with a unique position in the market; however, it also revealed Bumble’s
weaknesses that compromise the brand’s competitive advantage against the industry leader,
Tinder. Overall, the brand audit revealed four potential opportunities that would establish
strategic direction to maximize Bumble’s brand equity.
Bumble Brand Recommendations
1 Adjust Bumble’s Pricing Strategy
2 Focus on Bumble Dating
3 Leverage Safety Association
4 Increase Digital Conversations
27Bumble Brand Audit
1. Recommendation - Adjust Pricing Strategy
Among Bumble users, only 10% pay for either Bumble Spotlight or Bumble Boost. The research
showed that the monthly subscription for the Bumble upgrade -- $24.99 – was about $10 more
than what the target audience was willing to pay. While all consumers were more willing to
pay a higher price for Bumble than Tinder (by about $5 a month), Bumble’s monthly upgrade
price was still well above the average consumer’s willingness to pay. The price sensitivity was
dependent largerly on three factors – age, gender, and location. Each of these characteristics
resulted in huge disparities of willingness to pay. Tinder takes advantage of this information by
changing the subscription price for users over 30 years old since they are on average willing to
pay twice as much as those under 30.
For these reasons, it’s recommended that Bumble take advantage of consumer’s willingness
to pay by simplifying their subscription model and readjusting the prices based on user
demographics.
Example Price Adjustment
Bumble Boost - Currently $37.99 for 30 coins
$20 Over 30 years old, Metropolitan, Men
$10 Under 30 years old, Rural, Women
Bumble Spotlight - Currently $24.99 a month
$16 Base Fee
In doing this, Bumble would lower their average price to meet consumer preferences and
increase the percent of users paying for Bumble’s subscription services. This would also
challenge Tinder’s unique pricing Point-of-Difference, by making their pricing strategy an
industry standard instead of a competitive advantage.
Operational Details
• Set Bumble Spotlight subscription fee to average willingness to pay
• Change Bumble Boost fees depending on user demographics
• Run AB testing on users to see relative willingness to pay based on key
demographics
28Bumble Brand Audit
2. Recommendation - Focus On Bumble Dating
Bumble remains competitive in the online dating industry because of its unique platform.
The Bumble brand remains the ONLY dating app brand that only lets women message first --
creating a more positive image for the brand through consumer perceived safety. By expanding
networking services to Bumble BFF and Bumble Bizz, the brand risks causing confusion and
harming their competitive advantage. Within these extensions, the brand’s main POD is ignored
– neither platform only allows women to message first. Internally, the brand holds itself as a
brand that supports gender equality and promotes the proactiveness of women in dating and
beyond; however, while the idea of creating a safe platform for more than dating may fit their
values, consumers do not seem to have the same perspective. Externally, most Bumble users
(85%) are looking for a committed relationship. When asked the reason of usage for Bumble,
majority (75%) of participants in the study claimed they would use Bumble to find a relationship
or just for fun.
Should the Bumble Brand Expand Past Dating?
Strengths Weaknesses
• Larger target audience • Consumer Confusion
• More users on the app • More users on the app threatens
• Unique over competition (POD over the Bumble’s quality control - takes away
category leader) from Bumble’s smaller user base
• Takes away from the simple user
interface of the app
For these reasons, it’s recommended that Bumble focus their efforts on their original service,
Bumble Dating, to eliminate confusion amongst their consumers and ensure the integrity of their
main Point-of-Difference.
Operational Details
• Seperate Bumble Dating app from Bumble Bizz and Bumble BFF
• Focus majority of social media efforts on Bumble Dating
• Refocus advertising on Bumble Bizz to the brand’s efforts with the Bumble Fund
• Realign Bumble to the brand’s positioning in the market -- the ONLY app that only
allows women to make the first move.
29Bumble Brand Audit
3. Recommendation - Leverage Safety Association
Bumble currently separates itself from the rest of the online dating industry through their core
values as a company- women go first in dating and beyond. The brand holds a huge opportunity
to further seperate from the competition by solidifying the consumer’s perceptions of safety and
quality. The research showed that women felt the safest using Bumble compared to any other
dating app. These women also felt that the men on Bumble were more respectful than the men
on any other app – meaning the profiles were of higher quality on Bumble than other apps.
For these reasons, it’s recommended that the brand further leverage this perception by connect-
ing the bumble brand to a social purpose pertaining to women’s safety.
Possible Social Impact Connections
• National Domestic Women’s hotline
• Association for Women’s Self Defense Advancement
• Planned Parenthood
• Women for Women International
Bumble in the past has connected to social purposes like making unsolicited photos a crimi-
nal offense and funding women in esports but the brand should increase the consistency and
frequency of their social impacts to make an authentic impression. Bumble also has their own
Bumble Fund that supports women in the corporate world, but by connecting to an outside asso-
ciation they would increase awareness and create a more authentic perception. By reducing their
profits to support a non-profit that aligns to women’s safety, the Bumble brand will strengthen
their perceptions of safety and increase positive consumer perceptions.
Operational Details
• Chose Non-profit organizations to connect with that focuses on women’s safety
• Plan to donate percentage of sales
• Rotate paternship with organizations to create authentic perception -- Consumers
belive that Bumble trule cares about women’s safety, globally
• Create authentic and raw digital storytelling showcasing the non-profit -- creating
awareness for the organization and for Bumble
30Bumble Brand Audit
4. Recommendation - Increase Digital Conversations
The research showed that of online conversations about online dating apps, less than 10%
pertained to Bumble. 90% of the conversations held one social media were about the leading
competitor- Tinder. More doesn’t necessarily mean good however, considering of those conver-
sations, Bumble had the highest percent of positive conversations meaning a higher consumer
satisfaction rate. The study also found that consumers view Bumble more positively than their
competitor, Tinder. This proposes a unique opportunity for Bumble to increase the online con-
versations about the brand.
For these reasons, it’s recommended that the brand increase their efforts towards content market-
ing which will allow the brand to interact with consumers as well as increase the shareability of
their social media output.
Interactive Video Campaign
• Ask consumers to share videos on how they met their significant others through Bumble
• Bumble can then create shareable content through digital storytelling
• The brand can go deeper by following the success stories and updating their users
• The key is to remain consistent while sharing memorable content frequently
By creating a digital media campaign like the proposed example, Bumble will increase their con-
versations with their users. This will help start positive conversations about Bumble and increase
the percent of total conversations had about the brand on social media.
Operational Details
• Create interactive social media campaign
• Monitor conversations through social listening technology
• Adapt the campaign to consumer’s conversations
31Bumble Brand Audit
Conclusion
Taking these recommendations into account would provide solutions to a number of challenges
faced by the brand. By adjusting the pricing strategy, Bumble would meet their consumer’s
needs, simplify their interface and compete with Tinder’s unique strategy. Refocusing the brand
on its dating services would also increase simplicity throughout their user interface and clear
up confusion about the brand’s position in the market. Bumble could reinforce their position in
the market by connecting the brand to a more authentic social purpose to leverage consumers’
perceptions of safety. Lastly, by increasing conversations about the brand on social media,
Bumble would maximize their brand equity and directly compete with the industry leader. These
four recommendations, if implemented, will help optimize Bumble’s unique market position,
ensuring success in the long run.
32Bumble Brand Audit
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33Bumble Brand Audit
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