Hinge x LOI: Driving Downloads with Authentic, Creator-First Campaigns

When Hinge approached us to support their brand and performance goals in 7 competitive markets (UK, US, Canada, Australia, Spain, Italy and France) we faced a clear challenge:

How do we help the brand build a voice that feels natural within each culture while still being part of a cohesive message that’s recognisable anywhere? 

In this case study, we look at how creators helped build trust in a competitive vertical where legacy brands and regular challengers continue to fight for attention and downloads.

Building a Global Story with Local Heart

Our work focused on reinforcing Hinge as the dating app designed to be deleted, helping people find real and meaningful connections. To achieve this, LOI worked with 180 creators across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, audio platforms and in-person events. Each creator shared a story based on their own experience, making dating feel human rather than transactional.

Across all markets, the objective was to increase awareness, downloads and in-app usage of Hinge’s key features, including Written & Voice Prompts and Your Turn Limits, while amplifying brand activations such as D.A.T.E. Reports (LGBTQIA+ and ADHD-focused storytelling). We prioritised authenticity and inclusion, delivering culturally relevant narratives that resonated deeply with Gen Z and millennial audiences.

Tailoring Content to Each Market

In Spain, detailed storytelling worked best. Viewers wanted to see the full picture, from profiles to success stories. Creator Claudia shared conversational and lively videos that gave audiences exactly what they wanted: real experiences told with humour and warmth.

In Italy, creator Thomas Asueni led a mix of relatable and funny storytelling. As online dating remains a growing trend in Italian culture, his natural delivery helped make Hinge approachable and authentic. His TikTok content captured the spark of modern dating and drove engagement among new users.

In France, Esther Luxey blended humour with genuine success stories from couples who met on Hinge. Her content showed audiences that dating apps (like all forms of dating) can be worth the vulnerability and perseverance they require and drove downloads through the power of social proof.

Each market had its own rhythm, but one principle tied them all together: authentic storytelling that reflected local culture while staying true to Hinge’s mission.

From Awareness to Action: A Full-Funnel Strategy

Unlike most awareness campaigns, this initiative didn’t stop at brand storytelling. LOI Digital implemented a full-funnel strategy, starting with organic creator content to drive top-of-funnel awareness. Then, using smaller paid budgets, the team boosted creator videos to optimise for video views and familiarity.

Once trust was built, a number of creators produced shorter and more conversion-focused videos that featured the app interface and clear calls to action. Detailed media planning ensured users saw the right content at the right time, building connection first and then prompting installs. By using the same creators across both phases, the campaign strengthened recall and credibility, helping users move naturally from inspiration to download.

Campaign Highlights

In 2024 alone, we delivered more than 10 campaigns across 5 markets, amplifying both always-on and feature-focused initiatives. Key activations included:

• My Best Friend’s Take - a humorous creator-led campaign promoting Voice Prompts through best friend banter and storytelling.

• D.A.T.E. Report - stories from LGBTQIA+ and ADHD creators exploring real dating experiences.

• No Ordinary Love - a zine promotion that sparked community engagement through book clubs in partnership with Fable and #BookTokers.

• New Year Intentions - a multi-format campaign combining content, podcasting and in-real-life activations to inspire intention-setting for dating in 2025.

• Meta x LOI Workshop - a creator workshop designed to craft evergreen content focused on “Green Flags” and “Success Stories”.

Authenticity Scales

Through consistent creator storytelling, cultural insight and cross-market collaboration, We helped Hinge strengthen brand engagement while highlighting features that felt natural on each platform. The results spoke clearly: stronger brand perception, higher engagement and genuine connections between creators and audiences around the world.

Hinge and LOI Digital showed that when brands lead with authenticity, creativity and local understanding, downloads follow one real story at a time.

Work with us to turn authentic storytelling into measurable growth. Get in touch to build your next creator-first campaign.