Women-first social networking app, Bumble, has announced a partnership with Cosmopolitan, as it seeks to boost awareness of its virtual dating offering. The initiative was developed in collaboration with JUMP, Havas Media Group’s content and partnerships hub.

In the new era of digital dating, as women look to connect with people without meeting face-to-face, Bumble, which has 87m users, is aiming to normalise virtual dating, and position itself as a culturally-aware and responsible dating app during this period of social distancing.

In order to show that Bumble continues to be committed to supporting safe and equal virtual connections, while still pushing its brand message: ‘Make the First Move’, JUMP proposed two partnerships: one with Global Radio, which launched on 20 April, and one with Cosmopolitan, which will go live on 18 May.

Bumble’s partnership with Global was centred around a bespoke dating segment airing every day on the Capital Breakfast show, where the hosts discussed dating advice, tips, and tricks with ‘Celebs Go Dating’ stars Tom Read Wilson and Anna Williamson, offering listeners the chance to call in or enter to win an ideal virtual date set up. This was supported on social channels and the Capital website.

Bumble’s partnership with Cosmopolitan aims to engage an audience of women aged 18-to-35 (especially those based in London), through engaging social formats on Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat, bespoke videos, and native articles. The content will aim to refresh the conversation around virtual dating, with tips and ideas that are relevant during lockdown and beyond.

Two made-for-social videos will support native articles and a Snapchat takeover. The first film will feature an animated guide to ‘lockdown love lessons, while the second will be a creator-style video following a member of the Cosmo team on their virtual dating experience using Bumble.

The two partnerships follow JUMP’s appointment as Bumble’s lead partnerships agency earlier this year.

“During a period of social distancing, we want to make sure our users feel socially connected,” said Naomi Walkland, associate director, EMEA marketing at Bumble. “We are committed to equipping our users with the right tools to stay connected. This partnership reinforces this message and supports our community to make meaningful connections during this time.”