Bumble is one of the world’s leading dating and social-discovery apps, empowering over 100 million users to make the first move. Over the past three years, I helped build Bumble’s ad‑monetization engine—developing partnerships, native formats, and sponsored experiences—all while keeping user trust front and center.

Monetization seems simple: ARPU × scale. But for Bumble, where the experience revolves around trust and authentic connection, even small missteps risk eroding value. The question we faced: How do we earn ad revenue in a way that feels natural—never disruptive or “billboard-y”?

We started with a clear vision:

Our tactical goals:

Launch a native ad format that supports both direct and indirect ad demand

Ensure easy integration across Bumble’s suite, beginning with Date

Validate formats through design tests and brand pilots

We ran XFN workshops, scored ideas 1–5 on six pillars, and moved only high-trust, high-impact concepts to experiment—everything else was redesigned or parked.

Ads guidelines — revenue with restraint

I also created the Ads guidelines to ensure ads advance Bumble’s goals, protect the brand, and improve the member experience.

Native first — integrate into real moments; no pop-ups; strict frequency caps.

Clear & consensual — explicit labels, easy mute/snooze, age/geo guardrails.

Brand-safe by design — category exclusions; tone/voice rules; visual & motion specs; AA+ accessibility.

Format playbooks — Opening Moves, Profiles, Badges, Question Game; DS components + creative specs + content guidelines.

Measure & learn — experiment plans, incrementality/brand-lift + ecosystem health

Launched a scalable suite of formats: Sponsored Opening Moves, Sponsored Profiles, Sponsored Question Game, Sponsored Badges.

Ran multi-market brand activations (e.g., Adidas x Bumble, Paramount - Sponsored profile, Barbie, and many more ).

Exceeded annual revenue targets with steady QoQ growth.

Kept the UX bar high: native placements, strict guardrails, positive user feedback.

Ops lift: one playbook + DS components → faster approvals and reuse across teams.

We turned a sponsored profile into an easter egg from the show native to the feed, in on the joke, and timed with the season drop. The result wasn’t “an ad”; it was a moment. People screenshotted it, posted it, and talked about it.

Barbies and Kens appeared as sponsored profiles coaching users to send Compliments (message before match), creating an “ad people shared” moment and press buzz.