Dating Apps Address Racism

Since protests surrounding the death of George Floyd began last week, many brands have issued statements and made financial pledges to combat racial injustice and police brutality. The world of dating apps is shifting its focus from promoting social distancing-friendly dating to address the pandemic of racism—but in some cases that means addressing problems within their own platforms.

Grindr's initial tweet of support was quickly ratioed by replies pointing out its ethnicity filters. The brand deleted the tweet and instead pledged to remove the filter, and posted a page listing ways to support #BlackLivesMatter. Hinge announced donations to groups fighting racism and transphobia, but did not address whether it would remove its ethnicity filter. Bumble, which has no such filter, started with a statement announcing policy updates addressing racism and mental health, along with donations to the AAPI Civic Fund and the NAACP.

Racism and the dating game: OKCupid, Tinder and Scruff announced donations and support for the Black community—but they also have a variety of filters that critics are eyeing.

More on brand responses to the protests:

Black Entertainment Television is responding to racism and violence against Black people in the U.S. with programming that faces these issues head on. Specials airing this month will include "Justice Now: A BET News Special," which will address the killing of George Floyd and the protests, the first in a series featuring Black leaders and personalities, to be followed by additional programming including a virtual town hall, a Juneteenth presidential forum and docuseries on police brutality and systemic racism.

Preview the lineup: The programming aims to empower Black Americans and tell their stories in this critical time.

Agency News and Updates

In our Diversity and Inclusion Summit last week, Curaleaf CMO Jason White talked about social injustice in the cannabis category, where people have been prosecuted for years for what was once illegal. "If we're going to be a part of change, we have to make it part of our business model," he said. "The sooner we stop with the stigma and let these marginalized communities feel that it's a space they can step into, the faster we will advance this industry." He offered these three action items for others in marketing and advertising:

Watch: White described the programs and hiring practices the company has implemented to reduce stigma around people of color and communities who used the plant before legalization.

Extending consideration for mental health beyond May (which, let's be honest, all of us need to do), CBD-infused beverage startup Bimble has pledged to cover up to $200 in therapy costs for the first five consumers who order a case of its product each day through June 9. Bimble is positioning itself within the explosive CBD category as an alternative to alcoholic drinks, which can cause additional mental health problems, according to the minds behind the campaign.

A chill solution: Learn more about how Bimble targets those looking “to recover from the stressors of a toxic world.”

More of Today's Top News and Highlights

Vespa, the famous Italian scooter brand, has welcomed riders back to the roads with a delightful new global poster campaign by BBH London, which captures the post-war spirit of the 1950s.

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Adweek spoke with six Black professionals about how agencies should be responding to this pivotal moment to combat racism. This is what one of them (who wished to remain anonymous) said:

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