BLK, the largest dating app for Black singles, is celebrating Black love in its new campaign to honor Black History Month.
The campaign, which is being launched through Instagram, is to highlight the ways in which Black love has endured, overcome, evolved, and blossomed despite challenges.
“In Black culture, the bond between Black couples is unbreakable! It’s like the ultimate flex of strength and resilience that’s been passed down through generations,” BLK’s blog read. “It’s what helps shape our identity and keep us shining like the stars we are. And we’re not just talking about your average love story – this is some next level Black Love!”
For this new campaign, BLK has collaborated with four Black artists – Davian Chester, Sabine Quetent, Halimah Smith, and Asaad Thorne. The artistic timeline highlights eras – starting with traditional African roots in 900 BC, and continuing up to the digital age of love.
The collaboration adds another layer to the project’s celebration – uplifting the artists’ visions and voices on Black love.
The appeal of working with Black artists comes from the public demand to see these artists, and their work spotlighted.
According to a 2022 Neilsen report, companies perform significantly better when they feature Black talent. Black consumers also care about how they’re represented, which means that marketing campaigns should also think about the possible images of Black people they’re producing.
A 2023 report from Direct Digital Holdings, Inc. that spoke with more than 1,000 diverse individuals underscores these findings. The report found that almost 90 percent of the group will show support for a company or brand that markets toward their respective community.
The support could be anything from speaking positively to others, sharing their support on social media, or brand switching – all of which raises a brand’s performance and revenue.
All of this data should mean a couple of things for BLK’s new campaign. First, consumers will have more support for the dating app due to the positive representation of Black people, and Black love. Secondly, the support could represent higher revenue and performance.
Showing its support for Black creativity and the Black community isn’t the only point of this new love campaign. BLK launched right around the time the need for a dating app focused on Black love became prominent – a demand that still exists.
A recent study conducted by the Pew Research Center found that 34 percent of those who have tried dating apps are Black while another 34 percent are Hispanic. With 29 percent being white and 26 percent being Asian, the Black and Hispanic communities tie as the majority of singles using dating apps.
Looking to fill a large gap within the online dating scene, the app has now grown to include lifestyle – evolving into an online community for Black people.
In 2021, BLK launched “Once You Go BLK” to highlight the beauty of being part of the Black and BLK communities. The campaign focused on areas like Atlanta, a place with a dense population of Black singles and with immense influence in the Black community.
BLK also did work with Black artists before to show support for the community. Last year, to promote voting rights, the Match Group app teamed up with Saucy Santana and Trina – influential artists in the music industry. The goal was to empower the upcoming generation to make their voices heard at the polls.
