Hinge goes where it’s never been before for love in global campaign via W+K, Portland

Today Hinge has launched its fifth global “Designed To Be Deleted” ad campaign, created and developed by Wieden+Kennedy Portland, taking the platform somewhere brand new — the afterlife.

The campaign encourages daters to go on dates and find love in person, cheekily bringing dark humor and deeper storytelling to what happens to the beloved app icon, Hingie, after a match is made on Hinge. Actress and comedian Patti Harrison portrays The Oracle, who celebrates each deletion of the app as the result of a new relationship.

Upon entering the afterlife, each Hingie meets The Oracle, who is responsible for reviewing the successful dating stories that led to their demise. Chaos comedically ensues when a long line of Hingies arrive and overwhelm Harrison as she welcomes each one. For the first time, the ads feature stories inspired by real great dates of Hinge couples. From two people with the same name to a shared conspiracy theory about the existence of New Zealand, couples are depicted through illustrations, and one Hinge couple is featured live as they relive their deletion moment.

Says Harrison: “I’ve used Hinge before, and there aren’t many apps that are as accommodating to transgender daters. It’s great to see any app make an effort, but it felt like Hinge really made a meaningful effort. Also, as a comedian, this was something where I genuinely agreed with what they are doing. It was a chance to help make dating even better for people.”

The “Designed To Be Deleted” ad campaign was first released in 2019. This fifth iteration speaks to Gen Z and young Millennial daters. The films will come to life in short and long-form films that will run in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia. They will be released on YouTube and across social media channels on April 9 and launched on streaming platforms throughout April. The campaign will continue through early summer.

Says Jackie Jantos, chief marketing officer at Hinge: “‘Designed to be deleted’ brings to life Hinge’s goal of getting people off the app as Hingie – our furry app icon – lives to die. We loved collaborating with all of our amazing partners in front of and behind the camera on this round of creative. It’s fun to celebrate real love stories from Hinge couples, and we hope these films bring some joy and encouragement to people on their dating journey.”

By highlighting the great dates and special moments of connection that occur when two people meet in person, Hinge showcases how its in-depth profiles and unique features lead to authentic and meaningful relationships. Hinge’s app experience and marketing continue to resonate with daters, successfully solidifying itself as a top three most downloaded app in 2023 in both its core English-speaking and European expansion markets.

Creative Agency – Wieden+Kennedy Portland
ECDs – Azsa West, Felipe Ribeiro
Creative Directors – Darcie Burrell, Lawrence Melilli
Art Director – Maggie Paris
Copywriter – Ellen Miller Schneider
Director of Production – Orlee Tatarka
Executive Producer – Byron Oshiro
Senior Producer – Antonio Burnett
Producer – Devin Brown
Design Producer – Scott Meisse
Designer – Dave Hagen
Senior Strategist – Rachita Vasan
Media/Comms Planning – Emily Graham
Brand Manager – Leila Chee
Brand Executive – Kieran Yancy
Business Affairs – Amber Lavender, Nicole Smith, Karen Crossley
Traffic – Maisie Plew, Katie Hall

Production Company – Biscuit Filmworks
Director – Bine Bach
Executive Producer – Tom Farley
Line Producer – Jade Almond
Director of Photography – Rina Yang
Production Design/Art Direction – Andrew Reznick

BTS Photographer – Juliette Duffy

Editorial Company – Spot Welders / JOINT
Editor – Robert Duffy
Assistant Editor – Charlie Harrington
Post Producer – Izzie Raitt

VFX Company – Kevin VFX
ECD/Partner – Tim Davies
EP/Partner – Sue Troyan
Senior VFX Producer – Jami Schakel
VFX Coordinator – Connor Van Der Linde
Lead Compositor – Robert Murdock
Compositer – Steve Gibbons
Compositer – Alex Kolasinski
Compositer – David Jahns
Matte Painter – Ben Girdwood

Color Company – Color Collective
Colorist – Alex Bickel

Sound Design – Field Day
Sound Designer – Morgan Johnson
Music/Sound/Mix Company – Field Day
Audio Mixer/Sound Engineer – Morgan Johnson
Audio Producer – Leslie Carthy

Oracle Book Illustrations – Tara Booth