Cabler aims to drive tune-in through promo on startup’s part-game, part-hookup app
USA Network is the first TV network to hook up with social startup Tinder, whose app lets users anonymously connect to members of the opposite sex with mutual interests, in a youth-targeted promo for season 3 premiere of scripted drama “Suits.”
Tinder, whose lead investor is IAC, launched the app in September 2012 and claims users have made more than 100 million matches to date. The app — part game, part casual-dating service — shows a series of photos, first names and ages of other Tinder users nearby. You then either “heart” or ixnay them, and if two users “like” each other they’re then able to chat.
USA’s promo on Tinder is intended to drive tune-in for the July 16 season premiere of “Suits,” particularly among younger auds for whom the app has become explosively popular. Tinder has not disclosed number of active users or downloads (even to USA) but says the app facilitates more than 1.5 million new introductions daily with more than 50% of users logging on multiple times daily.
Related Stories
VIP+Reality TV Survived the ’07 Writers Strike. Why Is It Hurting in 2024?
'Librarians: The Next Chapter' Pulled From CW Fall Schedule
“The most important thing is that we’re exposing the show to people who aren’t aware of it,” said Alexandra Shapiro, USA’s exec veep of marketing and digital. Viewers 18-34 — particularly men — are “an incredibly hard audience to reach.”
Popular on Variety
Starting Saturday, when Tinder users log in they’ll find their first potential match either “Suits” law partner Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht) or paralegal Rachel Zane (Meghan Markle, pictured above), depending on their preference settings for hooking up with men or women. If a user “likes” the character’s profile, they’ll have access to exclusive content from the show with sneak peeks, audio greetings and video clips available only to those on Tinder.
In return, USA will promote the app on-air through snipes and across social media channels. No money is changing hands through the partnership.
It’s possible USA risks a certain “ugh” factor among those leery about Tinder’s casual-hookup implications. But execs pointed out that if you’re not on Tinder, you probably won’t even know about the promo.
Tinder, for its part, says it is not a “hookup app” but is for making friends and networking. “The overall vision for Tinder is social discovery in general, not just dating,” a rep said.
USA’s pact with Tinder complements other ways cabler is trying to push “Suits” to skein’s “socially rabid fan base,” Shapiro said. NBCUniversal-owned cabler has bought promoted tweets on Twitter, as well as ads on Facebook, ESPN.com and other youth-skewing sites as part of larger marketing campaign.
As for whether Tinder really will boost viewing numbers, Shapiro said USA will look for shifts in 18-49 audience composition. “There’s no downside to this partnership… it’s relatively little effort,” she said.
After Shapiro discovered many of the network’s younger employees are active Tinder users, USA reached out to the West Hollywood-based startup about a partnership. Turns out “Suits” is one of Tinder topper Sean Rad and co-founder Justin Mateen’s favorite shows and they agreed to the marketing stunt on the spot: so, love at first sight, then.
Read More About:
- App,
- Gabriel Macht,
- Rad,
- Spectre,
- Suits,
- Suits Renewal,
- Tinder,
- USA,
- USA Network,
- USA Network Ratings,
- USA Network Renewals,
- West Hollywood
More from Variety
Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl: Martin Lewis to Speak on How Fab Four Ushered in the Outdoor Rock Concert Age
Fortnite’s Complicated Return to iOS Is Hardly a Victory
‘Existential Threat’ of AI Central to Animation Guild Negotiations
Most Popular
Channing Tatum Says Gambit Accent Was Supposed to Be ‘Unintelligible’ at Times and He Was ‘Too Scared to Ask’ Marvel for the Costume to Bring…
Ryan Reynolds Was ‘Mortified’ to Cut Rob McElhenney’s ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Cameo but the ‘Sequence Wasn’t Working’: ‘I Had to Kill a Darling…
Box Office: ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Returns to No. 1 in Fifth Weekend as ‘The Crow’ Bombs and ‘Blink Twice…
‘Ted Lasso’ Eyes Season 4 Greenlight With Main Cast Members Returning
Zach Galifianakis Warns Hollywood Endorsements Could Hurt Kamala Harris: ‘I Do Wish the DNC Would Step Back from the Celebrities a Little Bit…
‘Inside Out 2’ Becomes First Animated Film to Hit $1 Billion at International Box Office
Chris Hemsworth Plays Drums in Surprise Appearance at Ed Sheeran’s Romania Concert
Denzel Washington Says ‘There Are Very Few Films Left For Me to Make That I'm Interested In’
‘Blink Twice’ Ending Explained: What Really Happens on Channing Tatum’s Island?
Dear Beyoncé and Taylor: Thanks for Staying Home. The DNC Benefited From Treating Musicians as Opening Acts, Not Headliners
Must Read
- Film
‘Megalopolis’ Trailer’s Fake Critic Quotes Were AI-Generated, Lionsgate Drops Marketing Consultant Responsible For Snafu
- Music
Sabrina Carpenter Teases and Torments on the Masterful — and Devilishly NSFW — 'Short n' Sweet': Album Review
- Film
Tim Burton on Why the 'Batman' Films Have Changed and How 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' Saved Him From Retirement
- Film
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck Are the Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton of the 2020s
Sign Up for Variety Newsletters
By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy.We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.Variety Confidential
ncG1vNJzZmiukae2psDYZ5qopV9nfXJ%2Fjp2goKGklrlwusSwqmito5bAbr%2FUoqusZZeawbR5w6iup2WRo7Fussuiqa2xXay2tbSMraCnnJWneqK8z2Zoa2hgaoNzfJByZg%3D%3D