Apps facilitate adult friendships as romantic relationships take a back seat
Implications - 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.
Workshop Question - What role does your brand play in terms of connecting consumers to one another?
Trend Themes
1. Friendship-focused Apps - Mobile applications are emerging to facilitate meaningful platonic connections, underscoring a rising consumer demand for friendships forged via technology.
2. 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.
3. 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
1. 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.
2. Travel and Adventure Industry - Group-based travel matchmaking services offer opportunities for immersive cultural experiences and connections with individuals of diverse backgrounds.
3. 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.
