The Scoop: Bumble takes a stumble with anti-celibacy billboard

Whether or not you’ve used one, dating apps are inextricably a part of our society. One of the biggest players in the dating app space, Bumble, caught criticism for a billboard that touted a “new Bumble” alongside a message that read, “You know full well a vow of celibacy is not the answer.”

Social media users castigated Bumble for insinuating that people couldn’t make celibacy a personal choice. Others also read the message as supporting patriarchal notions that insinuate women can’t make their own sexual choices.

Bumble was quick to apologize. In a statement posted to Instagram, Bumble said, “We made a mistake. Our ads referencing celibacy were an attempt to lean into a community frustrated by modern dating and instead of bringing joy and humor, we unintentionally did the opposite.”

Bumble also committed to pulling the ads in question, donating to the National Domestic Violence Hotline and other organizations that support women, and offering these organizations advertising space with Bumble.

Why it matters: When a major player in a given space steps in it, it’s usually going to be notable. Bumble undoubtedly overplayed its hand in an attempt to be funny and the joke didn’t land. But in the world of business and PR, optics matter, and the next steps a company takes after a major blunder to make things right matter nearly as much as the mistake itself.

In Bumble’s case, seeing it put its money where its mouth is and offering a platform for charities and organizations that support women marks a step in the right direction toward fixing this blunder. Mistakes happen a lot in the PR world — that’s why crisis PR exists. But it’s all about knowing how to make things right and take concrete steps toward rectifying a bad situation. You should always think deeply about the ramifications of any message you’re putting out there, and be ready to react to any potential pushback. Have the PR infrastructure in place to both vet the messages you’re putting out in the world and the right people to react if something goes sideways. 

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Sean Devlin is an editor at Ragan Communications. In his spare time he enjoys Philly sports and hosting trivia.