Catherine Rusoff
Bumble has apologized for an advertising campaign that told people not to be celibate, which caused controversy on social media. Now, the dating app company says it is removing the ads and will donate to the National Domestic Violence Hotline and other organizations as part of its work supporting women.
The ads appeared in billboard form and were seen in Los Angeles and other US cities. “A vow of celibacy is not the answer,” the bright yellow sign reads, according to witness photos.
After images of the billboard went viral, many social media users criticized the company, with one person writing that the ad was an attempt to shame celibacy and abstinence.
Some people dubbed it the “bumble fumble,” while others on social media said they saw nothing wrong with the ad.
Even the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health joined the conversation surrounding the advertising controversy, sharing their own photoshopped versions of the Bumble ad. “Thou shalt not neglect regular health checks,” says one of the mock ads. “Drinking raw milk is not the answer,” says another.
Bumble apologized for the anti-celibacy sentiment and said they made a mistake. “Our ads referencing celibacy were an attempt to reach out to a community frustrated by modern dating, and instead of bringing joy and humor, we unintentionally did the opposite,” the company said in a statement. statement published on social media.
“Some of the perspectives we heard were: from those who shared that celibacy is the only answer when reproductive rights are continually restricted; from others for whom celibacy is a choice; and from the asexual community, for whom celibacy may have a particular meaning and importance, which should not be diminished”, says the statement. “We also understand that for many, celibacy can be caused by harm or trauma.”
The brand said it was removing the ads from its global marketing campaign and would donate to organizations that support women, such as the National Domestic Violence Hotline, offering these partners billboard space to display an ad of their choice. .
After feeling the pressure of customers dissatisfied with ads, some brands take similar steps and change or completely remove their controversial campaigns. Others, however, maintained their polarizing ads.
In December 2023, Zara pulled an ad which some social media users said resembled images from Gaza, sparking calls for a boycott. The ad showed a model holding a mannequin wrapped in white cloth, which some considered to be images of children killed in Gaza during the War between Israel and Hamas.
The clothing retailer said the campaign was “conceived in July and photographed in September”, before the war began. Still, they decided to remove the ads because “some customers were offended by these images.”
And in December 2022, fashion brand Balenciaga apologized for an ad that showed children holding bags of teddy bears dressed in what appeared to be bondage gear. The brand removed the images and designer Demna Gvasalia said he wanted to personally apologize for the ad, saying on social media that he “would NEVER intend to do that with a subject as terrible as child abuse, which I condemn.”
And after receiving backlash – and a drop in sales – after a Bud Light partnership with trans actress and model Dylan Mulvaney in 2023, CEO of parent company Anhauser-Busch, Brendan Whitworth released a statement alluding to the reaction.
“We are honored to be part of the fabric of this country,” he said, adding that the company employs 18,000 people and has 47,000 colleagues at independent distributors. “We have thousands of partners, millions of fans and a proud history of supporting our communities.” , military personnel, first responders, sports fans, and hard-working Americans everywhere.”
The company also released an ultra-patriotic ad with a message that seemed to try win back customers who boycotted beer: “This is a story bigger than beer, this is the story of the American spirit,” says the narrator at the end, as the words “This Bud is for you” appear on the screen.
Caitlin O’Kane
