Murder, Mystery, and Matches: Check out how this 2021 "swipe night" rewrote this app's dating game!

From the desk of Miles Everson:

Hello!

One of the reasons I love Thursday is because I get to talk about interesting marketing strategies, a.k.a. “Guerrilla Marketing.”

For those of you who aren’t familiar with this yet, guerrilla marketing is an unconventional strategy that is simple to appreciate, easy to execute, and sometimes, inexpensive. I am personally fond of this strategy because it reminds me that we can never run out of creative ways to get our target audience’s attention.

Today, we’ll talk about a guerrilla marketing tactic that’s truly clever in its own right.

Murder, Mystery, and Matches: Check out how this 2021 "swipe night" rewrote this app's dating game!

In the sprawling world of online dating, the routine of swiping left and right can often feel like an endless, mind-numbing task.

It’s a monotonous search for love that often leads to boredom more than romance.

… but did you know that one app decided to break the mold and inject a thrilling twist into the traditional dating experience?

Imagine swiping not just for looks or bios, but also for a shared passion for solving mysteries!

So, grab your detective hat, sharpen your sleuthing skills, and get ready to discover how this app turned swipes into thrilling mysteries and eventually, love stories!

From Clues and Clicks to Cuffing Season: How Tinder Upped Its Game with Swipe Night!

Tinder , a widely-known dating platform, swiped right quite literally on a “killer idea” in 2021.

Instead of relying on traditional photos and bios, Tinder users could solve a murder mystery to find their ma

Enter “Swipe Night: Killer Weekend,” an interactive experience where the decisions users made dictated the storyline, clues, and eventual outcomes in the app.

The twist?

Solving the mystery might lead to solving the riddle of love as well!

To bring this innovative idea to life, Tinder teamed up with 72andSunny , a creative powerhouse, to create an experience that was part game, part matchmaking.

Basically, “Swipe Night: Killer Weekend” wasn’t just another swipe fest; it was also a personalized, data-driven, first-person experience designed to immerse users in a three-part murder mystery.

Here’s how it worked…

Users found themselves at a party where a murder took place, and they had to figure out whodunit. Each episode featured plot twists, choices, and clues that influenced the outcome of the story.

By the end of the interactive video series, users picked a suspect and were matched with another Tinder user who chose a different suspect.

… but the fun didn’t stop there!

A fast-chat feature allowed matches to discuss their theories, debate evidence, and maybe—just maybe—solve the mystery together, both in the game (murder mystery) and in real life (mystery of love).

Hee-hah!

Was Tinder’s “Swipe Night: Killer Weekend” Campaign Effective?

“Swipe Night” wasn’t just a thrilling experience for users; it was also a MASSIVE success for Tinder. Millions of users jumped at the chance to play detective, and the results were astounding:

• Over two-thirds of those who completed Episode 1 returned for Episodes 2 and 3 of Season 2 in 2021.
• Completion rates for the 2021 season were 30% higher than those of the first season in 2019.
• The campaign ranked 6th in The Drum ’s 2021 World Creative Rankings.

“Swipe Night” also earned its place among award-winning campaigns. It snagged a Silver at the 2022 Clio Awards and won the Mobile Campaign category at the 2021 Shorty Awards .

Plus, the campaign took home Gold and Silver honors in the Vertical Video and Online Event Activation categories at the 14th Annual Shorty Awards .

Clearly, Tinder’s venture into interactive content wasn’t just a hit with users; it also earned respect and accolades from the marketing world.

Kudos, Tinder and 72andSunny!

*Claps*

So, what can you learn from Tinder’s guerrilla marketing campaign?

As a masterclass in interactive, engaging marketing, Tinder’s “Swipe Night” campaign teaches you to:

• Make Your Content Interactive . It’s easy for users to scroll past passive content, but engaging them in an experience       where they are active participants keeps them hooked.

  Besides, Tinder’s success shows that when you give your audience control—whether it’s through choices, quizzes, or polls—they’re more likely to stay engaged

  Even without a million-dollar production budget, you can gamify your content through social media platforms, using polls, quizzes, or creative stories to draw in your audience.

• Gamify Your Marketing Strategy . Gamification transforms an ordinary interaction into a fun, engaging experience.

  You don’t need a full-fledged murder mystery to make this happen, though! Something as simple as an online scavenger hunt or contest can capture attention and create a lasting impression.

  You don’t want that, do you? After all, adding game-like elements not only enhances user engagement but also makes your brand more memorable.

• Leverage Cost-Effective Tools . The brilliance of “Swipe Night” wasn’t just in the storyline, but in the way Tinder       leveraged creativity with data and user engagement.

  Like Tinder, you can also engage your audience through cost-effective channels, such as social media posts or email campaigns, without needing a huge budget.

  Let your users be the detectives, creators, or stars of the show… and watch them invest in your brand!

—

—In a world of passive scrolling and swiping, Tinder’s “Swipe Night: Killer Weekend” turned the dating game into an engaging, immersive experience.

Its lesson for all brands?

Don’t just show your audience something—get them to play !

The bottom line?By doing so, you’ll turn passive viewers into active participants, boost engagement, and ultimately, see your brand soar to thrilling new heights.

EXCITING NEWS AHEAD

The world of work has shifted, and there’s no going back. The barriers to entry have never been lower for talented professionals to work independently, and today’s massive external workforce is hardly a pandemic-produced fad. Business owners can only survive in the new work landscape by partnering with this deep talent pool.

With decades of experience in both small-business entrepreneurship and executive management at PwC, I truly believe that the future of work is independent.

With that, I’m happy to share with you that my book, co-authored with Walter Scott Lamb, is now available on Amazon!

This new bestseller is an essential read for both independent professionals and corporate executives. Here, we provide educational and practical guides to unpack the ever-growing workforce and offer you crucial ways to become a client of choice.

Click on the link above to order your copy. Let this bestselling book help you future-proof your career and organization in the new world of work.

Stay tuned for next Thursday’s Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing!

Do you want to know how this car manufacturer stood out against the likes of Volvo and BMW ?

See it in next week’s article!