A Love Story

When NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani revealed he met his wife on Hinge, it renewed a glimmer of hope for New York’s exhausted online dating scene.

Image via Instagram @karamccurdy

In a city where young singles routinely struggle to find genuine romantic connections, choosing where to invest time online is a daunting task. However, Hinge has successfully leaned into its bold catchphrase, “The dating app designed to be deleted,” to reshape the narrative. Its homepage immediately reinforces this with imagery of couples and groups genuinely having fun, while its “Labs” page emphasizes a research-backed focus on providing better matches, rather than just a higher volume of them. The platform actively guides its users toward deeper connections; for instance, its article Guide to Reflecting on Who You’re Looking For explicitly urges daters to look past outward traits and focus on the inner qualities that sustain a healthy relationship.

Image via hinge.co

Hinge’s marketing strategy is equally distinct, seamlessly blending into the daily lives of New Yorkers through engaging offline campaigns. A recent MTA subway advertisement for an anthology of love stories—evoking the nostalgic feel of a romance novel through its distinct typography and color palette—instantly captured commuters’ attention. Encountering subsequent snippets of these narratives easily transformed a casual glance into a compelling reason to seek out the full project.

Image via wetpaintny

This creative campaign, titled No Ordinary Love, was developed in collaboration with Dazed Studio. The project pairs contemporary authors with real-life Hinge couples to bring their early dating days to a wider audience, candidly highlighting the authentic struggles of modern romance. In This Is How To Touch Me by Rufi Thorpe, the narrative perfectly captures that universal, anxious milestone—the “What are we?” conversation:

“I just need to know,” she says, and I pass through the pixels that make up her face, causing them to freeze for just a moment. “Like if we’re — if we’re just casual, or if —”

To ensure maximum accessibility for daily commuters, the No Ordinary Love anthology is available as a free audiobook on Spotify and Substack, as well as in written form on its official website. Unlike typical subway advertisements that are easily tuned out, this campaign commands attention by offering literary value regardless of whether a commuter intends to download the app.

Image via hinge.com