I didn’t think it was possible for there to be a beneficial value of the match-making app Tinder. However, it would seem that the advertising agency EightyTwenty, in conjunction with the Immigrant Council of Ireland have used the app to raise awareness for a very serious problem.
It has created a series of mock Tinder profiles on the app that currently all start with a beautiful woman just like any other profile you may stumble upon. However, with each swipe, the woman’s photos reveal a progressively more graphic face with cuts and bruises, culminating with the last two images containing an important message about the real faces of sex trafficking and the damage it continues to do. The idea is that these images will depict the harsh reality of sex trafficking and bring attention to the crime, particularly amongst a younger demographic that are difficult to reach through traditional media.
Without a doubt, these mock profiles cause a disturbing switch; especially since so many Tinder users swipe rather mindlessly, and with a very different kind of sex on their minds. Nevertheless, the blunt contrast with the standard Tinder experience is precisely the point, the campaign’s creators say.
“These profiles have so far been very well received by users of Tinder, with a large number of comments from users who are shocked upon hearing about the realities of sex trafficking in a modern society,” EightyTwenty wrote Wednesday on its online blog.
Tinder has accumulated an estimated 50 million active users worldwide and has become a surprisingly influential platform in regards to connecting people and, increasingly, for the purpose of spreading information. This is not the first time Tinder has been operated for uses other than finding a ‘special friend.’ Earlier this year, a group of advocates used the dating app to raise awareness on men’s health through the profile of a fake nurse. The New York Times released Tinder’s most recent figures and reported that the app is currently administering more than 1 billion swipes per day worldwide.
It is quite remarkable just how successful the app has become. The company informed the Times that, on average, people log into the app 11 times a day. According to the Times, women spend around 8.5 minutes swiping during a single session on Tinder and men spend about 7.2 minutes, which can add up to 90 minutes a day.
Undoubtedly, it is an interesting and arguably controversial method to use a dating app to spread awareness about sex trafficking. Despite potential arguments that it is an invasive, explicit approach that destroys the amusement of the dating app, I consider it to be a brilliant example of marketing to successfully raise awareness for a necessary cause. It uses the app’s free service to distribute its message to the largest possible audience and to those who might not otherwise be reached by traditional media sources. With a global figure reported by the United Nations of 2.4 million people that are reported to be a victim of human trafficking, I would say that Tinder users can allow a small disruption in their swiping to be educated on a more important matter.
