Bumble's Rebrand Proves That Women Still Want Men To Make The First Move

Popular app Bumble took a unique approach to online dating: Women had to take the lead in starting conversations. Up until now, when a man matched with a woman on the app, he had to wait for her message first – or the match would expire in 24 hours.

Bumble's founder, Whitney Wolfe Herd, said a series of bad relationships influenced her to create this model. She wanted to give women more control. “I had a series of bad relationships, and I felt I was controlled by a man,” she said, “whether it was: Don’t wear this or, You can’t hang out with this person or, You need to be home at this time.” Is it possible that Bumble was entering its flop era because of this? In general, women prefer to be courted by men – not the other way around.

According to The New York Times, Bumble's stock price has dropped 86 percent since 2021. Other dating apps are also struggling. “There are currently so many dating apps,” said Kathryn D. Coduto, the assistant professor of media science at Boston University. In her research, she found that many people are asking, “Which of these apps can fulfill what users are looking for? Maybe none of them.”

Ten years later, the app is now introducing a feature titled "Opening Moves," which allows men to choose from a selection of pre-set questions to respond to, like "What is your dream vacation?” 

They've also remodeled their social media pages and are featuring old paintings of exhausted women desiring chivalrous men to pursue them. A smart yet ironic business decision, considering how dating apps have only perpetuated messy situationships and hookups.

Unsurprisingly, over the years, Bumble has received feedback from its female users who reported that going after men was exhausting. They said making the first move was “a lot of work” or “a burden." So then came "Opening Moves," which seeks to solve that problem.

Bumble users can also add up to two “Dating Intentions,” including “intimacy, without commitment” and “ethical nonmonogamy" to their pages. They have the option to add personality traits they desire, like “loyalty” or “sarcasm.” Bumble allows users to add the movements that they support as well. But will all of this be enough for the app to survive? Gen Z is desperate for in-person meetings and authentic connections.

“People are craving the sense of a spontaneous connection,” Wolfe Herd said. She still thinks that dating apps won't be going away anytime soon, though. “The reality is, technology is just too good, and it’s too convenient, and it’s too helpful.”

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