BRAND STRATEGY

Tinder

Love at first swipe is coming full circle back to love at first sight.

Tinder is the latest brand to go all-in on IRL: The dating app recently announced that Tinder Events, which allows users to find events like mahjong nights and cooking classes to connect with potential matches, is going global. Tinder first launched the in-app feature in LA in March and held more than 60 free and paid events with engagement from nearly 70% of eligible users, according to the company.

Global CMO Melissa Hobley told us that Tinder began thinking about how to bring singles together in person more than a year ago, understanding that Gen Z specifically wants opportunities for connection that aren’t explicitly “date” events.

“I remember hearing from people [saying], ‘I go to run club…I go to pickleball, I go to a trivia night…I wish I could know the people who are single there,’” she said. “That’s what this does.”

Tinder Events is now live in nine more cities and with plans to expand to 26 cities in the US and Europe by the end of September. We spoke with Hobley about one of Tinder’s “biggest initiatives” and financial investments in the last decade—plus how it’s marketing the feature to Gen Z daters.

Continue reading here.—KH

      

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EXPERIENTIAL

Morning Brew Inc., Photos: @westworldhbo/Instagram, @goodwipes/Instagram, Chili’s

Who needs a dedicated brick-and-mortar location when consumers can show up in droves to a temporary brand pop-up?

From product giveaways to immersive, world-building experiences, pop-ups are one way marketing departments can build brand awareness, drive social media conversation, and connect with audiences. To pull one off, experts like Marc Simons, co-founder of agency Giant Spoon, emphasized one important element: emotion.

“We want someone to feel something as they’re going through these experiences,” Simons told us.

Building emotion and audience connection begins far before a brand sets up shop in a pop-up location, and can continue long after its doors close. But it’s not the only key element to a successful event.

We talked to agencies and brands about how they build the pop-ups of a consumer’s dreams, and what makes a brand experience or event successful.

Continue reading here.—JN

      

BRAND STRATEGY

Erin Cabrey

On Bleecker Street in New York, wedged between a series of neutral-toned buildings, sits the pinkest shop in NYC.

So says the fuchsia, fluorescent sign inside Colorful Natalie, the 500-square-foot apparel and accessories boutique that’s become known by passersby for its rosy exterior, and for those on the internet as the must-visit tourist destination for NYC merch.

It lives up to the name: Its pink walls are adorned with racks of pink hangers holding its many (mostly pink) NYC hoodies, tees, and tanks, along with accessories like slippers, scrunchies, hats, and jewelry—nearly all designed by founder Natalie Acopian.

The store, which opened in 2024, has risen to popularity as Acopian has taken to social media to showcase the store and chronicle the highs (lines down the block) and lows (a very vocal critic of her pink storefront) of the day-to-day operations of her shop, accumulating millions of views and nearly 250,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok.

Chatting with Retail Brew inside Colorful Natalie, Acopian shared the store’s journey from curated e-commerce fashion shop to souvenir hot spot, and the wins and pain points of going viral as a small, self-funded business in NYC.

Read more on Retail Brew.—EC

      

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IN AND OUT

Francis Scialabba

Executive moves across the industry.

• ServiceNow tapped a new CMO: Simon Mouyal, who has held the same position at brands including Armis and CyberArk.
• Jasper, a marketing agents platform, elevated Tom Newton to CMO.
• Papa Johns promoted Chris Lyn-Sue, the chain’s former SVP and general manager of international, to global CMO; the brand’s current top marketer, Jenna Bromberg, is exiting the company.