In 2019 Hinge, a popular dating app told everyone that they want to be deleted off their phones.
This application claimed it had a death wish, an actual death wish.
The company created Hingy, a mascot in the form of the app logo, and proceeded to destroy it in commercials in dozens of ways, showing potential Hinge users that they want them to find true love and delete the app.
According to Red Antler, the marketing agency that created this campaign, Hinge increased app download by 45%.
But the success of the strategy lies in one simple hard-to-achieve goal: putting your customer first, helping them find the one while knowing that this may be the death of you: deleting the app.
But in reality, this strategy is not a true death of hinge.
By putting their customers’ needs first and telling them that they want to be deleted, they made Hinge 10,000% more credible.
The main takeaway from this smart strategy is that you need to pick a villain. A villain that your customers hate and that your business is actively fighting against.
Hinge picked an absurd villain: dating apps and toxic swiping.
Did you pick a villain for your business yet?