Tinder appoints VaynerMedia to handle global media duties

Tinder has appointed VaynerMedia as its global media agency. While an official statement from either party is yet to be released, VaynerMedia took to its social media channels to unveil its latest account win. The agency said on its Instagram and Twitter posts, "A new, exciting relationship – we can’t wait to start this journey with you, Tinder!" MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Tinder and VaynerMedia for comment, and if the partnership extends to Asia. Launched in 2019, VaynerMedia is a global creative and media agency with offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Singapore and Mexico City. 

https://twitter.com/VaynerMedia/status/1478824317710438402

In May last year, Tinder matched with M&C Saatchi Performance for performance marketing duties in Southeast Asia. M&C Saatchi Performance said in a LinkedIn post then that it looked forward to playing an integral role in charting out Tinder's next phase of growth and establishing a long and fruitful partnership. 

Meanwhile in Thailand, Tinder partnered up with Wunderman Thompson Thailand in October 2020 to change its perception and positioning to the Thai Gen Z as a social app that offers more value beyond just dating and hooking up. This comes as for years, Tinder had been established as a dating app with a stereotype for finding one-night stands and friends with benefits. This reputation posed a challenge for recruiting new users in Thailand, where research showed that Gen Z is the most likely group to quit the app within one week for not wanting to participate in hookup culture. On the other hand, however, other Gen Z users who stayed also showed the highest interest in using the app for non-dating or non-sexual purposes.

At the same time, in Indonesia, Tinder appointed TBWA\Indonesia to handle creative duties on a project basis. The team managed Tinder's #BisaBareng campaign and helped to innovate and find new opportunities for people to meet and connect with friends and communities. The agency also rolled out the #BisaNyambungBareng campaign featuring celebrity aunt agony Bude Sumiyati to train Gen Zs to continue engaging and expanding their social discovery.

Additionally, Tinder's parent company Match Group named adtech company MediaDonuts to handle marketing and ad sales in Southeast Asia and India in September that year.

Separately, VaynerMedia promoted VJ Anand to managing partner of VaynerMedia APAC in August last year, in addition to his current head of creative role. In his new role, Anand continues to oversee creative excellence, as well as play a key role in the agency’s growth strategy across the region. He reports to Tim Lindley, who was appointed as managing director in June that year. Lindley replaces Avery Akkineni, who relocated back to the US to take on a new role within VaynerX. The move came two years establishing after Akkineni first set up the offices in Asia to grow the APAC operations. 

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