- The Word on Record
- Posts
- 🐝 What's the Buzz?
The newsletter that explores the art of storytelling, effective communication strategies, and the everyday impact we can create 🧚♀️
👋 Buongiorno, Bonjour, Hola, Hello
When we think about marketing and content, we want to think about how we are making people feel.
People think about the stories ads are telling and how it resonated with them. If you mess this up, it can cause a lot of issues… like brand reputation, boycotts, and negative press coverage.
We’ll read more below 👀
I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
In this edition we will be setting the record straight on…
1. 🐝 The Buzz Around Bumble
2. ⭐️ Special Announcement
3. 🗞️ News
🐝 The Buzz Around Bumble
A few weeks ago, Bumble started hinting at a change.
Which was... Men can now message women first... Making what made Bumble different the same as every other dating app.
Fine.
That's how they want to rebrand themselves.
The outrage?
The ad you see below addressed to women in LA:
While Bumble's marketing shift may seem innocuous at first glance, it's important to look at the negative effects it can have on society.
Specifically in perpetuating violence towards women and reinforcing 🍇 culture. How so?
→ It invalidates multiple identities and experiences
→ It adds pressure to engage in physical activities
→ It ignores consent and boundaries
→ It perpetuates sexualization
It's also triggering for people navigating issues like trauma, mental health concerns, or relationship complexities.
What should have been done?
Bumble appears to have skipped conducting market research, oftentimes an expenditure that companies can see as unnecessary.
Market research helps understand consumer preferences, identify market trends, and refine product strategies.
If they would have invested in thorough market research, they could have avoided the PR headaches they are currently facing like:
→ User boycotts (specifically from women)
→ Social media backlash across platforms
→ Impact on brand reception
→ Negative press coverage
→ Damage to reputation
How would I have done this campaign differently?
Address the men on the apps, who up until now, have expected women to send the first message and do so while addressing the problematic issues that happen in the dating world. There were so many other ways they could have done something original and cared about women.
Bumble's decision to change their messaging without addressing these underlying issues is a missed opportunity to advocate for women's rights and address gender dynamics in dating.
A BYU study analyzed Utah sexual assault victims’ medical exam charts from 2017 to 2020. They found that 14% of the 1,968 🍇's committed by acquaintances happened during a first-time meeting arranged through a dating app.
Dating apps need to take proactive measures to address these concerns and prioritize the safety and well-being of their users.
But when you're not making a purchase, you become the product being sold... just like Bumble has viewed women in this situation.
⭐️ Special Announcement
I’m so excited to be supporting the European Women’s on Board (EWOB) as their Community Content Manager!
European Women on Boards (EWOB) is a non-profit organisation based in Brussels, Europe.
The goal?
To help more women achieve leadership positions in Europe.
I’m so excited to be a part of an amazing team of women to work on getting more representation across Europe. Having more diversity in leadership is so important, as it brings new perspectives and ideas to the table.
Key Takeaway
🧠 In November 2022 the European Union adopted a Directive on improving the gender balance among directors of listed companies.
🧠 The European Union’s Directive on Gender Balance in Corporate Boards, formally adopted in November 2022, requires listed companies across the European Union 2 (EU) to have either 40% of non-executive directors (NED) or 33% of all board directors (NED plus Executive Directors (ED)), from the underrepresented gender by June 2026.
Did you know?
My thesis was on the entrance of Spanish women in diplomacy at the end of the Franco regime. I’ve always been interested in women who are breaking barriers, their stories, and how we can make our world a better place for a better tomorrow.
🗞️ Verónica’s news
🌱 This week is Mental Health Awareness week. Positive.News asked their readers for advice when going through a hard time.
📱 A trend sparking conversations around violence against women - would you choose to be alone in the woods with a man or a bear?
The impact of words extend far beyond the page.
Did you get forwarded this newsletter? Join the community to get tips on storytelling and how our content can be used here.
Have a good weekend!
Verónica
