Marketing Audit: Thursday Dating
Working in marketing tends to peel back the veil on almost everything in your life. Personally I’ve found myself judging other businesses adverts, brand values, and social media. Whilst I’d probably look like an absolute nutter if I started talking to my friends about the poor colour scheme or snobbish approach to socials. I think it’s time to start a new series over on the blog.
What are the biggest brands for marketers now? Why? Where could they be better?
I refuse to believe I’m alone at looking at big brands and apps so critically. If I’m not, then I’ll see you once a month for a client onboarding audit (pretend, obviously) for some of the most talked about brands in the marketing industry.
This month I’ve chosen the new dating app Thursday. Known for it’s ethical approach to digital dating, and the slightly less ethical approach to marketing.
Now before I go into who the brand is and why they’re a big talking point, I’d like to talk about my own experiences and relationships with the brand.
One of my biggest freelancing clients is a matchmaker based overseas. I’ve spent the better part of two years reading and researching blog content about dating and relationships. Thursday has always been on my radar, and I must admit I have it, but it’s always been down to their unique approach to digital dating.
Sure, Hinge claims to be the app you end up deleting, Bumble hands the power to the woman, and Tinder just vibes. But Thursday is the only dating app which actively acknowledges the issues with “dating addictions” and actively tackles them with it’s USP.
Being based in London, and actually a stone throw away from the Thursday HQ. I’m rather lucky to be in the testing city for their events and obscure marketing strategies..
I hear marketing teams meeting to discuss their own guerllia marketing strategies at work and most my friends are aware of the app OR use it regularly.
Whatever they’re doing, you can’t say it’s not working.
But it’s been several months since Thursday hit the ground running with new approaches to marketing on LinkedIn and TikTok. What was once impressive, now is starting to feel like a grasp for popularity.
Is the ethical dating app is slowly becoming the Regina George of the internet? Or are marketers just getting their knickers in a twist?
When did Thursday launch?
Thursday has announced its dating app will be going live on 13th May, with over 100,000 exclusive members already registered. It will initially launch in London and New York City, with Glasgow, Dublin, and Cardiff set to follow soon after.
Barely a year old, Thursday launched 13th May with 100,000 exclusive members already registered. With exclusive locations in London, NYC, Glasgow, Dublin, and Cardiff - it was already getting press coverage from the get-go.
Thursday was launched with the idea of intimacy and living in the moment. Unlike other dating apps where users could intermittently swipe as they pleased, Thursday enforces a consumption limit which allowed users less than 24 hours to plan a date.
From a dating and relationship perspective, it’s a significantly healthier approach compared to it’s competitors. Dating app addiction is real, the majority of dating app users you come across are either swiping to swipe, or interested in a quick one night stand. There’s a minute audience that still look for relationships, but finding one is like fishing a needle from a haystack.
Since the official end to lockdown, Thursday have also launched weekly singles nights in some of the best spots across London.
Looking at the app through the lens of their target audience (a single, twenty-something), I find their approach incredibly refreshing. Tinder is just for hookups, Bumble is too much work, and Hinge just pushes you to pay - it’s nice to see a dating app take a truly holistic and ethical approach to it’s functionality.
Guerrilla Marketing on Thursday
On Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and other B2B platforms, Thursday do an excellent job at marketing to their users. With a mix of dating app advice, memes, dating safety, progressive dating, and taboo breaking topics. As a member of their target audience, I feel like they cater to the needs of 20- somethings perfectly.
But it’s their LinkedIn content, and more specifically their Guerrilla marketing tactics that truly caught my attention.
From handing out free dildos, to paying ninjas to run around with leaflets, and even a rent-a-camel. Thursday Dating went through a phase of completely overtaking Liverpool Street station with their intrusive marketing tactics.
Love or hate some of their techniques, you can’t help but admit…you remember the guys who brought a camel to one of the busiest stations in central London.
Antics like the one below helped the start up dating app skyrocket to LinkedIn fame. Each post recieving +2million impressions at the time of posting. I still remember overhearing marketing meetings at my local co-woking space, wondering how they could be “as popular as Thursday” with their next marketing event.
It wasn’t just out there marketing hacks with no back planning. It wasn’t just a bunch of interns running around with scared wild animals. There was clear thought behind the majority of Thursdays approaches.
See one of my personal favourites, the cheater at Liverpool Street - the photo was picked up at LADbible a little over a year ago. But whilst researching this post I found a post by (I assume) the lead marketer at Thursday, 23,000 downloads in two hours and 12 people wandering around London with the same cardboard sign. I kind of feel sorry for those who had to be apart of it.
For Marketers, Thursday was doing everything we’d dreamed of behind our desks. Sure the camel in Liverpool Street raised some questions on how ethical the brand could be. It was memorable, but in the height of rush hour there was definitely some concerns for the animals safety and mental welfare.
But most of those questions and controversies were quickly smothered…left unanswered, or replaced with higher level concerns for ethical marketing across the board.
Personally, I think a large group of people forgot about “camel-gate” when Thursday launched it’s in-person singles nights.
Bringing singles together in affordable dating nights across London. With events in chains like Simmons, DUO, and event the London Eye…the retro appeal of in-person dating was reignited for singles sick of talking to people on dating apps with no plan to actually meet.
Will I be using Thursday?
Probably not no. I think one of the big perks of dating apps is the casualness of it all, being able to slowly get to know someone in your own time. Whilst Thursday helps users get out and meet people…It feels a lot like a pressure cooker and meant purely for those DTF. Their marketing is immersive, but focuses on LinkedIn fame rather than customer popularity.
It’s a no from me, for the moment.
Looking for a marketer that brings results?
Want to see some IRL results like Thursdays? Whilst I wouldn’t recommend setting a camel loose in central London, I can definitely help you see some real results from your marketing efforts. I offer a range of marketing services for businesses of all sizes and sectors. Read more about my services here: