BUMBLE REBRAND
Bumble allows users to browse through profiles to meet people online and form new connections that fit the categories of dating, friendship, and business. Bumble makes money by offering subscription plans that benefit users. By paying, users can get their profile in front of more local singles by activating the “Spotlight” feature. This means for 30 minutes, their profile will be one of the first shown to anyone who logs on. When users connect, only women can send the very first message. This is how Bumble earned the nickname “the female-friendly Tinder.”
I took on the challenge of exploring a rebrand for Bumble as a concept project. When approaching the rebrand, I kept in mind one main friction point. Bumble is not just a dating app, yet their current branding can suggest otherwise. Many people don’t know that Bumble can be used for more than just romantic connections.
CHARACTERS & ICONOGRAPHY
Online networking can be awkward. How do you casually start a conversation with someone? I find that this fear of being so open with others we haven’t even met yet can put a bad taste in user’s mouths about using a networking app such as Bumble. To fight this awkwardness, I used friendly icons that would act as a main focal point for the branding, and support users in their journey to form connections.
These icons, such as hangers, puzzle piece, and paper clips are random, but for that matter they can make viewers smile. They can lighten the mood and more importantly be used in visual advertisements to explain the different kinds of connections one could create by using Bumble. These characters would help to crush that initial fear of sparking up new conversation by being implemented into the UX/UI by giving suggestions for conversation starters.
