Bumble recently faced backlash over an ad campaign that referenced celibacy, with critics accusing the dating app company of shaming people for choosing not to have sex. The ads, which have since been removed, were part of Bumble’s global marketing campaign and were intended to be a part of the company’s brand redesign. One of the controversial ads featured a woman joining an all-female religious group but later becoming infatuated with a shirtless man. Critics claimed that the ads minimized the variety of reasons people, especially women, may choose to be celibate.
In response to the backlash, Bumble issued an apology on Instagram, acknowledging that they made a mistake with the ads and unintentionally did the opposite of bringing joy and humor. The company expressed regret for not living up to their values of standing up for women and marginalized communities. Bumble also recognized the range of criticisms received, including concerns about access to reproductive health care, trauma, and asexuality being legitimate reasons for choosing celibacy. The company stated that it is making a donation to the National Domestic Violence Hotline and other organizations supporting women, marginalized communities, and abuse victims, as well as offering its billboard reservation time to these organizations.
Despite the apology, some critics were not satisfied with Bumble’s response. One commenter felt that the celibacy community did not ask for allyship from the company and felt that the ad insinuated that celibate women are recluse and limited, which they disputed. Another critic felt that Bumble leaned into the feelings of men and made it a woman’s problem to fix the lack of sex men are having, instead of addressing men’s behavior. Some comments suggested that Bumble was only apologizing because they were losing customers, rather than out of genuine remorse.
Bumble’s ad controversy comes during a period of financial difficulties for the company, with shares dropping 45% since July 2023 and plans to lay off 350 employees announced in February. The backlash over the celibacy ad campaign added to the challenges that Bumble is facing. The company’s misstep in attempting to connect with a community frustrated by modern dating ended up causing harm and alienating some of its users. It remains to be seen how Bumble will navigate these challenges and regain trust from its customers going forward.
