With safety concerns and changing attitudes toward online dating shaping the student experience, our mission was to create a campaign that resonated authentically with this audience, celebrated the diversity of connections Tinder can facilitate, and encouraged downloads and engagement with the app.

We knew this couldn’t just be another ad campaign—it had to be an immersive cultural moment that students wouldn’t just see but actively participate in. Through a mix of in-person experiences and creator-led social content, we delivered a campaign that brought Tinder’s messaging to life and firmly established its place in student culture.

Our pre-campaign research revealed that while students were becoming more aware of Tinder’s efforts to evolve its perception, key challenges persisted and needed to be addressed at scale. The idea of Tinder being associated with hookups was deeply rooted in the student community, often passed down from older generations rather than from firsthand experience.

We also identified a societal trend among students favoring IRL dating, citing self-esteem concerns and a preference for personal connections over online interactions.

Insights from our student panel showed that to reshape perceptions, we had to create a memorable moment in student culture and encourage students to explore Tinder Uni, which was perceived as a safer way to meet people. However, further research revealed that the Tinder Uni experience wasn’t meeting expectations. Students felt more comfortable with connections framed as casual and exploratory, rather than being pressured to find ‘the one.’

Based on these insights, we developed the ‘Found On Tinder’ proposition to highlight the variety of connections university students can make using Tinder—whether friendships, relationships, or situationships. This celebrated the app’s role in facilitating all types of connections, showcasing the fun, serendipitous nature of using Tinder.

The campaign aimed to amplify positivity and highlight the stories of friendships and relationships formed through the app, positioning Tinder as an enabler of meaningful and diverse connections.

The Mansion Party:

To address students’ preference for memorable and exclusive nightlife experiences, we created the Tinder Mansion Party, designed to bring the concept of ‘Found On Tinder’ to life. Each room offered a unique way to explore different types of connections: love, friendship, or self-discovery.

Activations included a Smirnoff Ice sampling bar, tooth gemming, temporary tattoos, tarot card readings, and a confession booth. Spaces like the Find Friends Banquet and the Tinder Chapel embodied the app’s messaging, whilst a DJ lineup featuring artists such as Taylah Elaine Jodie Tyler and Papa Nugs brought music to the party.

Social Content:

We ran a vox pop series across Manchester, Leeds, and Exeter, hosted by Angelina as our Matchmaker. Students participated in hidden date packages and other activations, filmed live and shared as Reels and TikToks.

We also collaborated with 45 student creators across 10+ UK cities, training them at a central London workshop. They were tasked with producing authentic branded content that resonated with their peers, resulting in over 225 pieces of content created across the 10 week campaign.

The Tinder Mansion Party proved to be a resounding success, hosting 620 students, including 100 attendees on the guestlist and 15 VIPs who received complimentary tickets. The remaining 515 tickets, sold at £10 each, generated revenue that was entirely donated to AKT, a charity supporting LGBTQ+ youth. The event generated significant buzz, achieving over 19 million impressions across various platforms. It also sparked high levels of engagement, with 90,135 likes, 1,920 comments, and 2,780 shares, underscoring the party’s impact as a culturally relevant moment for Gen Z students.

The student-led social content campaign complemented the event, creating authentic and relatable content that resonated with the target audience. Over 45 student creators, spanning more than 10 UK cities, produced an impressive 225 pieces of content within a 10-week timeframe. Their efforts resulted in 7.73 million impressions, 97,000 likes, 409 comments, and 2,885 saves, further amplifying the campaign's reach and reinforcing Tinder’s message of celebrating all types of connections.

Through a combination of an exclusive, experiential event and authentic, peer-generated content, the campaign successfully positioned Tinder as a safe, culturally relevant brand for students while driving app engagement and fostering a deeper connection with the Gen Z audience.

Watch the Mansion Party wrap-up video below.