The White House is partnering with Tinder to encourage vaccinations amongst Millennial and Gen Z users. This government-led promotion is revamping Tinder’s platform to become a hub for locating vaccine centers and browsing educational resources.
Starting June 2, vaccinated users will be incentivized through free ‘Super Like’ perks that can spark more romantic connections.
President Biden hopes this plan can aid the administration’s goal in vaccinating 70% of Americans by the Fourth of July. The initiative will also encourage vaccinations on other dating subscription apps like OkCupid (launched 5/24), Badoo (6/1), and Bumble (6/1).
Read on to better understand how subscription apps are implementing premium features to urge users to get vaccinated.
A Plan to Get the Younger Generations Vaccinated
The presidential administration wants to meet its summer vaccination goal, so it’s looking at new ways to get younger citizens on board. In February, a Quinnipiac poll found that 42% of 18 to 34 year-olds weren’t willing to receive the vaccine. This has contributed to a decline in vaccinations. In mid-April, over 3 million Americans were being vaccinated daily, compared to the 1.3 million daily average now.
President Biden’s Fourth of July goal hopes to establish herd immunity amongst the American population. Scientists estimate that this is plausible when between 70 to 85% of citizens are vaccinated. Currently, over 50% of the American population has received a vaccine.
In thinking about how to reach more young people and increase vaccinations, President Biden’s administration conceived the idea of leveraging subscription apps. During the pandemic, dating apps saw more downloads from younger users than ever before. By partnering with these apps, the government is tapping into a demographic of over 50 million users. Currently, Tinder has the largest U.S. user base of all dating apps with 7.86 million active accounts.
A Government-Led Plan Will Revamp Dating Subscription Apps
Thanks to this government-backed initiative, vaccinated users can now unlock free access to premium features aimed at enhancing their swiping experience.
For instance, OkCupid profiles received a free “Boost” if they added an “I’m Vaccinated” badge on their profile. The boost increases their account’s exposure and improves their chances of getting matches on the platform.
OkCupid reports that vaccinated profiles are more successful on its platform. “More than 7 in 10 daters say they will get the Covid-19 vaccine, and those who are planning to get it or already have are getting 15% more likes and 14% more matches, and having 4.5% more conversations,” the company said in a press release.
On Tinder, free “super likes” will be awarded to users for following the health protocol. Normally only available to premium subscribers, “super likes” allow users to stand out from the crowd when matching with another user. The company’s badges will allow daters to display their vaccination status and spark conversations with others who do the same.
Photo Credit: Tinder.com
Mentions of vaccinations have skyrocketed on Tinder, as many people are interested in matching with those who have gotten the COVID shot.
“More than half of Gen Z are only interested in going on dates with people who are vaccinated,” Tinder said in a news release. The company will look to improve the health of dating by embedding a vaccination site locator on its platform, alongside informational resources from the World Health Organization.
“We’re excited to work with the White House to help 70% of American adults get vaccinated by July 4th. Nothing like fireworks to signal a new spark and a new start for those looking to meet new people IRL (in real life) this summer,” said Tinder’s CEO Jim Lanzone.
Key Takeaways
- Vaccinated users can now unlock free access to premium features on dating subscription apps like Tinder and OkCupid.
- This initiative is primarily aimed at encouraging younger Americans to get the vaccine.
- President Biden hopes this plan can aid the administration’s goal in vaccinating 70% of Americans by July 4.