Bumble, the dating app, has apologized for advertisements that critics claimed insulted non-sexually active women.
The marketing campaign featured slogans such as “A vow of celibacy is not the answer” and “Thou shalt not give up on dating and become a nun”.
“We made a mistake,” the digital dating platform admitted in an Instagram post late Monday night. “Our ads referencing celibacy were an attempt to lean into a community frustrated by modern dating, and instead of bringing joy and humor, we unintentionally did the opposite.”
But critics felt the advertisements were distasteful and contradicted the company’s declared goal of empowering women.
“In a world fighting for respect and autonomy over our bodies, it’s appalling to see a dating platform undermine women’s choices,” commented Jordan Emanuel, a model and actress who has openly discussed her desire to abstain from sex for a year.
In its apology statement, Bumble stated that it will remove the ads and donate to the National Domestic Violence Hotline and other organizations as part of its “ongoing efforts to support the work being done around the world to support women, marginalized communities, and those impacted by abuse.” The corporation also stated that it will give the recipients of its donations the billboard space formerly utilized for celibacy-related advertisements.
Bumble was created in 2014 and went public in 2021, but the firm has struggled due to doubts about its capacity to reach younger customers.
The company, which also owns Badoo, has seen its stock fall substantially since its inception.
In February, it announced plans to lay off 30% of its personnel, or around 350 people.
The firm recently updated its Bumble app, which now features a new feature that allows users to remove the restriction that women initiate contact.