The fast-growing dating and networking app taking the world by storm. Founded in 2014 by CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd, this tech startup has a bold vision: create a kinder, more empowering space for people to make meaningful connections. 

With over 100 million users across Bumble Date, Bumble BFF, and Bumble Bizz modes, this female-led company wanted to spread its buzz on college campuses. So they launched an innovative ambassador program to educate students on Bumble's values and get more users swiping.

We chose to spotlight Bumble's marketing strategy because they've cracked the code on engaging Gen Z. Between their mission-driven ethos and campaigns, they've built a devoted community. Now, they're taking on campuses with student brand reps to generate buzz in a genuine way. 

Intrigued by how this disruptor accelerates growth through university partnerships, we dove deeper into the Bumble College Ambassador Program. How did they catalyze engagement both online and IRL? What results emerged from giving students creative license? Pull up a chair as we chronicle the inside story on Bumble's stirring campus success.

The Challenge:

Swipe right to a huge untapped market—college students. With their vast social networks and influencer-like status on campus, this demographic represented major growth potential for Bumble. 

But sealing the deal with busy, selective Gen Zers posed some challenges:

• Hyper-competition: Major dating apps like Tinder already dominated the space with addictive swiping features college kids couldn’t resist. Bumble needed more than a fresh interface to stand out.

• Misconceptions: Students pigeonholed Bumble as a niche platform—either exclusively for bold women or serious relationship-seekers. Bumble aimed to shift those limiting assumptions.

• Fleeting attention spans: Academics, activities, and FOMO-inducing social lives consumed students’ time and mental bandwidth. Bumble required clever engagement strategies to stay top-of-mind. 

  
  

Without solving these hurdles, Bumble risked missing out on this high-value target market and all the upside that came with it—from installs and endorsements to brand clarity and student vibes. 

To catalyze campus buzz, Bumble needed an unorthodox college marketing solution tailored to Gen Zers’ wants and needs. The time had come for the brand to make the first move on campus.

The Solution:

Bumble buzzed onto campuses with an ingenious college ambassador program tapping into the power of peer influence. They handpicked passionate student advocates to organically promote the app through creative Gen z marketing tailored for college life and university marketing.

The strategy involved:

• Recruitment: Bumble hired college students who were passionate about its mission and values, as well as active and influential on their respective campuses. Bumble offered two roles: Campus Director and Campus Ambassador. Campus Directors were responsible for leading the marketing efforts at their universities, while Campus Ambassadors AKA “Honeys” supported them with various tasks. Bumble also offered opportunities for post-grads and community members, called Queen Bees, who had more experience and involvement in marketing, PR, and event coordination.

• Training: Bumble provided online and offline training for its ambassadors, covering topics such as Bumble's brand identity, product features, marketing best practices, event planning, social media management, and data analysis. Bumble also created a supportive and collaborative community for its ambassadors, where they could share ideas, feedback, and resources with each other and with Bumble's team.

  
  

• Promotion: Bumble empowered its ambassadors to create and execute various marketing campaigns and activities on their campuses and online platforms, such as social media, blogs, podcasts, and newsletters. Some examples of these activities were:

  
  

  • Creating social content to build awareness for anything from Bumble's values to its newest features.

  • Getting students interested in Bumble by capturing their attention around campus and spreading its mission.

  • Hosting student marketing events on campus or nearby in partnership with local businesses that students loved, such as coffee shops, yoga studios, and bookstores.

  • Educating students about the benefits and values of Bumble, such as empowering women, promoting kindness, and fostering meaningful connections.

  • Encouraging students to download and use Bumble's three modes: Bumble Date, Bumble BFF, and Bumble Bizz, which allowed them to connect with potential partners, friends, and professional contacts.

    
    

• Evaluation: Bumble measured and optimized the performance and impact of its Honey ambassador program using data and analytics. Bumble tracked various metrics, such as downloads, registrations, matches, swipes, messages, retention, engagement, and revenue. Bumble also collected feedback from its ambassadors and users, such as surveys, reviews, testimonials, and stories. Bumble used this data and feedback to improve its product, college marketing, and college ambassador program.

  
  

The Bumble College Ambassador Program was a unique and superior university marketing solution to Bumble's challenges, because it:

• Leveraged the power and influence of peer-to-peer marketing, which is more authentic, credible, and effective than traditional advertising.

• Created a buzzworthy and engaging experience for college students, who were more likely to trust and try Bumble after seeing and hearing about it from their friends, classmates, and campus influencers.

• Aligned with Bumble's mission and vision, which were to challenge outdated gender norms, and encourage everyone to make moves for good.

  
  

With an insider team and grassroots game plan ready, Bumble set out to create a buzz on campus unlike any other dating app. Soon Gen Z and college students across the world would be asking: “What’s all the buzz about Bumble?”

The Result:

Bumble's push to captivate college students proved an enviable maneuver in connecting with Gen Z. By deploying passionate brand devotees within target campuses, the dating-turned-networking app created coveted word-of-mouth marketing. This ambassador initiative lent authenticity money can't buy.

The strategy aligned flawlessly with Bumble's people-first ethos and their mission to flip the script on outdated social norms. Empowering female users to make the first move sat well with an increasingly progressive student demographic. And enabling connection through kindness resonated with youth craving meaning in their relationships.  

The student response paid dividends. As ambassadors initiated viral campaigns from campus hubs, millions joined the Bumble buzz. The app trended thanks to grassroots student marketing hype vs corporate advertising which positioned Bumble on top of their largest dating app competitor, Tinder, in terms of not only brand image and perception but also usage amongst Gen Z. 

Equally important was the positive impact on a generation feeling isolated and disenchanted. Both ambassadors and new users alike praised the platform for expanding their social circles. Some even shared moving stories of meeting partners and lifelong friends. This spotlight on Bumble's real-world influence only fanned the flames further.  

In conclusion, the program was a win-win situation for Bumble and its college audience. It helped Bumble grow its user base and revenue through Gen Z marketing, while also helping college students find their partners, friends, and contacts. It is a case study that showcased how to create a successful campus marketing strategy with engagement, analytics, and heart.

Looking to harness the impactful Bumble buzz for your brand? Dime possesses the expertise and the right tools for any brand to recreate the Bumble effect. Schedule a call with us today to explore the possibilities for your brand.