Hinge unveils its fifth global “Designed To Be Deleted” ad campaign, 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.
“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,” said Harrison. “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–created and developed by Wieden+Kennedy Portland–speaks to Gen Z and young Millennial daters. Directed by Bine Bach of Biscuit Filmworks, the films–including this anchor piece–will run in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. 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.
“‘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,” said Jackie Jantos, chief marketing officer at Hinge. “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.”
CreditsClient Hinge Agency Wieden+Kennedy, Portland, Ore. Azsa West, Felipe Ribeiro, executive creative directors; Darcie Burrell, Lawrence Melilli, creative directors; Maggie Paris, art director; Ellen Miller Schneider, copywriter; Orlee Tatarka, director of production; Byron Oshiro, executive producer; Antonio Burnett, sr. producer; Devin Brown, producer; Scott Meisse, design producer; Dave Hagen, designer; Rachita Vasan, sr. strategist. Production Company Biscuit Filmworks Bine Bach, director; Tom Farley, exec producer; Jade Almond, line producer; Rina Yang, DP; Andrew Reznick, production design/art direction. Editorial Spot Welders / JOINT Robert Duffy, editor; Charlie Harrington, assistant editor; Izzie Raitt, post producer. VFX KEVIN VFX Tim Davies, ECD/partner; Sue Troyan, EP/partner; Jami Schakel, sr. VFX producer; Connor Van Der Linde, VFX coordinator; Robert Murdock, lead compositor; Steve Gibbons, Alex Kolasinski, David Jahns, compositors; Ben Girdwood, matte painter. Color Grade Color Collective Alex Bickel, colorist. Sound Design Field Day Morgan Johnson, sound designer. Audio Post Field Day Morgan Johnson, audio mixer; Leslie Carthy, audio producer. Illustration Tara Booth, Oracle book illustration.
Filmmaker Natalie Johns Creates Spec Gun Violence Prevention PSA
Her social media feed is filled with frustration and “prayers” for families torn apart by yet another mass shooting as filmmaker Natalie Johns is engaged in the morning ritual of negotiating school attendance with her 4½-year-old. Between laughing and arguing with their daughter, the Johns think deeply about the prospect of waking up without her--deeply enough to feel an inch of what it might be like to lose her--a feeling profound enough inspire her most personal commitment to date as a filmmaker.
“Gun violence should not be a normalized part of life in America,” she noted. “I felt it was worth putting my whole heart on the line to deliver this message.”
The director invited her long-time collaborator and cinematographer, Bill Kirstein (Mean Girls, Happyend), to capture their family’s experience over several mornings in a spec PSA. She wanted to capture her own joy and truth as a parent with a view to inspiring action from the deepest love she has known.
On the third day of filming, Johns received an email from their daughter’s preschool notifying parents of a lockdown that had occurred due to a gunman outside the school. The children, aged 2-5, were gathered in a small bathroom for an hour, singing songs with their teachers while the man was apprehended by law enforcement. This was the family’s first narrow escape from tragedy.
“The coincidence of filming this PSA and experiencing my family’s first lockdown was both shocking and surreal. I simply could not wrap my head around it,” said director Johns.
Even more terrifying for Johns was discussing the incident with other parents who had already experienced several lockdowns with their older children. This reality is all too common and far too... Read More