The incoming cold front means more than hot cocoa and warm sweaters: For today’s singles, it also marks the arrival of Cuffing Season, when the casual dating scene turns into a heated search for short-term companionship and dating apps experience a sizable boost in activity (as high as 35%, data suggests).
To heat up this season, three apps geared toward marginalized singles are showing up in eye-catching ways to help guide users to their ideal match — even if it may only be temporary.
Archer, a dating app for gay and queer-identifying men, recently appointed popular singer-songwriter David Archuleta as its chief trophies officer to introduce the platform’s Trophies feature. With the new profile badge system, users can boldly flex their dating interests with digital identifiers such as “Leather Lover” and “Certified Daddy.” In a hero video inspired by The Devil Wears Prada, Archuleta takes on his new role with Miranda Priestly-esque ferocity while advocating for “obvious attraction” with trophies that take out some of the guesswork.
“What I love about the app is how it encourages people to show up as themselves,” said Archuleta in a statement. “Dating can be intimidating, especially in the queer community, but Archer makes it easier to be real about what you’re looking for.”
In another sect of the LGBTQ+ community, Her, the sapphic dating app tailored for queer women, trans and nonbinary people, took the “U-Haul Lesbian” trope to the next level by mounting an actual branded moving truck donning the words “I [Heart] Sapphics” and two suggestive pairs of scissors. The truck could be seen roaming NYC and making stops at local queer spaces and landmarks while helping actual couples move, thanks to a partnership with queer-owned moving company Butch4Hire. The activation also included creator collaborations and limited move-in starter kits.
There’s more to the campaign than just a well-worn stereotype. According to a recent Her community survey, nearly 50% of queer women and nonbinary people have moved in with a partner within two months of dating, with 44% citing love as the main reason for taking the leap.
While Archer and Her turned to in-app features and experiential opportunities for inspiration, Asian-led platform Yuzu is going the branded content route as it collaborates with hospitality gurus Chubby Group on a new web series geared toward Gen Z. Appropriately titled Cuffing Season, the three-part holiday series brings relatable stories about the search for love and connection to YouTube Shorts, TikTok and Instagram Reels with the help of a diverse Asian cast. Chubby Group will help bring the campaign to life with screening events and special cocktails at their various restaurants, including Niku X (NYC & LA), The X Pot (Las Vegas) and Wagyu House (Atlanta). The partnership also highlights a strong preference among most of Yuzu’s users: Per a recent brand survey, 80% of daters said a restaurant is their preferred option for a first date.
“This campaign is a love letter to how our community dates, eats and celebrates together,” said Cindy Lim, head of brand for Yuzu. “Cuffing season is about finding warmth in connection, and our partnership with Chubby Group makes that tangible, from the sitcom stories on-screen to the shared meals that bring people together in real life.”
The colder reality of dating
While the digital realm has generally made connection easier than ever before, it has also put the harsher realities of marginalized singles into startling focus.
To date, Asian men still face continued stereotyping and lower partnership rates compared to other men while LGBTQ+ daters have to dodge harassment and discrimination (often in the form of unwanted explicit messages and targeted abuse) at an alarming rate. Trans singles especially experience compounded challenges, from exclusion to full-blown violence, making casual dating a potentially dangerous endeavor.
These realities have made specialized dating apps such as Yuzu, Archer, Her, BLK, Dateability for disabled and chronically ill singles and many more important spaces for those hoping to connect in safer, more closely monitored environments. The steadily increasing visibility of these platforms speak not only to a booming industry, but also the effectiveness of dating brands that are able to address the specific romantic needs of the communities they serve. Because feeling empowered to find love — whether it’s forever or just for now — as your authentic self makes dating just a little easier.
As Archuleta says: “It’s all about being flirty, open and genuine. Finding connection without feeling like you have to hide who you are.”
