Bumble unveils a redesign in hopes of reversing its post-pandemic slump

Bumble unveiled a fresh look on Tuesday, marking what the company hopes is a new chapter for the decade-old dating app. The app, which stands apart from its competitors by requiring women to send the first message with male connections, now has a new logo, bolder fonts, and refreshed colors and illustrations.

“As with any big birthday, it’s been a time of reflection,” Bumble Senior Product Manager Dara Alsulayman said in a recorded presentation to reporters. “It also has given us the opportunity to think hard about what we want the next 10 plus years of Bumble to look like.” 

The redesign comes as the broader dating app industry continues to struggle to grow its paying user base at the same rapid pace it succeeded during the pandemic, causing investor confidence to dim. Young people aren’t signing up for the subscription services as much and instead meeting people through other social media forms or in person. And many have expressed being burnt out from dating apps and the constant liking, disliking, and matching. According to The New York Times, Bumble and its main competitor, Match Group, have lost more than $40 billion in market value since 2021.

In addition to the updated app design and a new logo, Bumble announced it is updating its compatibility algorithm, making profile creation easier, expanding its dating intention options, and adding a blanket opening message to make the initial match outreach easier (for example, “Who is your dream dinner guest?”). 

“In listening to our community, many have shared their exhaustion with the current online dating experience, and for some, that includes making the first move,” Bumble CEO Lidiane Jones said in a statement. “We want to evolve with our community, shifting from a fixed approach to giving women more options in how they engage.”

A transformation has long been expected at the dating app, which also owns Badoo, Fruitz, Official, and Bumble for Friends. Jones took over from founder Whitney Wolfe Herd in January, as the latter transitioned to executive chair.

Bumble announced in late February that it would cut roughly 350 roles after a disappointing fourth quarter. The company said it anticipated a total revenue growth of between 8% and 11% for its family of apps in 2024, potentially falling well short of the 13.3% growth that investors were reportedly expecting.

Citi analysts said in a note following the quarterly report that they were not surprised to see slowing growth at the company, while its fiscal 2024 outlook was a “notable step down in growth.” The company will expect its first quarter 2024 earnings report in the afternoon on May 8. 

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