Category
Tech
Delegated Interfaces
Trend cluster
Category
Platonic
Matchmaking
Apps facilitate adult friendships as romantic relationships take a back seat.
4.6
Trend score
Trend
What is the Platonic Matchmaking trend?
Platonic Matchmaking: Mobile applications that help individuals find friends as opposed to romantic partners are beginning to emerge following the success of dating apps such as Tinder. These applications speak to the difficulty of forging interpersonal relationships in modern adult life, and point to a consumer willingness in making meaningful connections through technology. Moreover, it also de-prioritizes the romantic union as the most essential.
Trend themes
Themes within the Platonic Matchmaking trend
Three behaviours holding the trend together01
Friendship-Focused Apps
Mobile applications are emerging to facilitate meaningful platonic connections, underscoring a rising consumer demand for friendships forged via technology.
02
Female-Focused Matchmaking Services
New platform-based matchmaking services for women are a response to a growing urge for meaningful female friendships, inspired by the icons of pop culture and the need to foster strong, equitable female bonds.
03
Group & Location-Based Matchmaking Services
Increasingly, matchmaking services are exploring group settings or factoring in the importance of location to connect individuals with similar interests outside of traditional dating priorities.
Industry implications
What the Platonic Matchmaking trend means for industry
Where the trend changes the playbookFor
Social and Community-based Platforms
Friendship-focused platforms offer a unique space for facilitating connections based on shared interests and hobbies, and for fostering communities around a common bond.
For
Travel and Adventure Industry
Group-based travel matchmaking services offer opportunities for immersive cultural experiences and connections with individuals of diverse backgrounds.
For
Mobile App Development
The growing demand for friendship-focused mobile applications requires further innovation in app development technologies and features, such as better matching algorithms or real-time group messaging capabilities.
Workshop question
What role does your brand play in terms of connecting consumers to one another?
Trend signals
Trend signals for Platonic Matchmaking
Trend score 4.6 out of 10, from popularity 66%, activity 63%, freshness 8%.
Popularity66%
Activity63%
Freshness8%
Audience
50%Men
50%Women
- Gen Alpha
- Gen Z
- Millennial
- Gen X (not a primary audience)
- Boomer (not a primary audience)
Market
North America
Europe
Asia-Pacific
South America
Africa
Evidence
Examples of the Platonic Matchmaking trend
6 featured examples from May 13, 2015 to Feb 18, 2016CategoryWorld
Friendship-Forming Travel Apps
This Site Connects Adventurous Globe-Trotters to Travel Hosts
Opportunities for the travel and hospitality industry to leverage technological advancements in matching algorithms and virtual communication to create more personalized and immer…
CategoryTech
Female Friend-Finding Apps
The 'Hey! VINA' App Helps Women Expand Their Social Circle
Female friend-finding apps can disrupt the social networking industry by offering unique features and algorithms that foster meaningful connections and support female empowerment.
CategoryTech
Location-Based Social Chat Apps
Skout is a Mobile App for Expanding One's Social Circle
Opportunity for developers to create innovative mobile apps for people to expand social networks and form meaningful connections.
CategoryLife-Stages
Group Date Matchmaking Apps
Smeeters Helps Arrange "Explosive" Meetings Between Groups of Friends
Opportunity for mobile app developers to create innovative group matchmaking apps.
CategoryLifestyle
Female Friendship Platforms
Yes New Friends is a Toronto-Based Matchmaking Service for Women
The social networking industry can explore new features or platforms that focus on facilitating meaningful platonic connections.
CategoryTech
Casual Friendship Apps
The Wiith App is a Tinder-Inspired platform for making new friends
Disruptive innovation opportunity: Integrate the concept of making new friends into existing social networking platforms.
