Campaign Marketing: Bumble Honey
Zaina Rizvi
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Posted Mar 23, 2023
Campus Marketing Manager for Bumble Honey
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Bumble University Growth Campaign: Driving 15% User Acquisition Through Multi-Channel Campus Activation
Role: Marketing Manager, Bumble Honey - University of Washington
Timeline: August 2022 - June 2023 (10 months)
Budget: $25,000 quarterly marketing budget
Bumble Case Study.html
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Led comprehensive campus marketing strategy for Bumble across University of Washington, managing end-to-end execution of social media campaigns, on-campus activations, and influencer partnerships. Drove 15% increase in app downloads and 30% improvement in event-to-user conversion through data-driven experimentation across 12 distinct marketing initiatives.
Key Results:
15% growth in UW app downloads (September 2022 - June 2023)
100,000+ impressions across social campaigns
30% conversion rate improvement through A/B testing
500+ new users directly attributed to campus activations
Viral TikTok content reposted by @Bumble and @BumbleHoney official accounts
THE CHALLENGE
Business Context:
University of Washington represented a high-value market for Bumble (18-24 demographic, 45,000+ students), but faced intense competition from Hinge, Tinder, and emerging dating apps. Student acquisition costs were rising while organic growth had plateaued.
Specific Challenges:
Low brand awareness - 60% of surveyed students couldn't differentiate Bumble from competitors
Trust barrier - Students hesitant to verify .edu emails due to privacy concerns
Feature underutilization - Bumble BFF and Compliments features had <10% adoption among college users
Attribution gap - No clear way to track which marketing tactics drove quality user acquisition
Resource constraints - Solo operator managing 5 Pacific Northwest campuses with limited budget
STRATEGY & APPROACH
Strategic Framework:
Developed three-pillar approach focusing on:
Awareness - Drive brand visibility through social media and partnerships
Trust - Build credibility through user-generated content and success stories
Activation - Convert awareness into downloads through experiential marketing
Target Audience Segmentation:
Primary: Undergraduate women 18-22 (Bumble's women-first messaging resonated)
Secondary: Graduate students 23-26 (BFF mode for relocators)
Tertiary: Greek life organizations (high social influence, word-of-mouth potential)
CAMPAIGN EXECUTION
Campaign 1: Bumble Bingo - .edu Verification Drive
Objective: Increase verified .edu accounts by 40% to unlock campus-exclusive features
Strategy:
Created gamified social media campaign encouraging students to verify accounts and complete engagement actions (profile completion, BFF mode activation, first message sent) to earn "BINGO" squares.
Execution:
Designed 5x5 BINGO card with 25 engagement tasks
Partnered with 8 campus influencers (10K-50K followers each) to promote
Created branded Instagram filters and story templates for easy sharing
Offered prizes: $500 Amazon gift card (grand prize), Bumble swag bags, featured user spotlights
Tactics:
Instagram Story campaign (daily posts for 2 weeks)
TikTok challenge with #BumbleBingoUW hashtag
Campus newspaper ads in "The Daily" student publication
QR code posters in high-traffic areas (Red Square, HUB, Greek Row)
Results:
100,000+ impressions across social channels
2,500+ BINGO card downloads
65% increase in .edu verified accounts (from 1,200 to 1,980)
8.5% engagement rate on Instagram (3x platform average)
Cost per verified user: $3.20 (40% below target)
Key Learning:
Gamification + influencer partnerships dramatically outperformed traditional paid social. Students trusted peer recommendations over brand messaging.
Campaign 2: SMIRK UW Partnership - Campus Media Collaboration
Objective: Build brand credibility through association with trusted campus media outlet
Strategy:
Partnered with SMIRK UW (@smirk_uw, 6,628 followers), a student-run Instagram account covering campus culture, dating, and social life. Created co-branded content series "The Dating Diaries" featuring anonymous student dating stories.
Execution:
Sponsored 8-week content series (1 post per week)
Co-created editorial calendar mixing humor, advice, and Bumble feature highlights
Offered SMIRK editorial independence (authenticity over control)
Cross-promoted on Bumble's campus channels
Content Examples:
"Red Flags We Ignored at UW" (relatable dating horror stories)
"How to Bumble BFF Your Way Through Winter Quarter" (seasonal relevance)
"Rating UW First Date Spots: A Bumble Investigation"
Results:
45,000+ reach across 8-post series
12% engagement rate (SMIRK's highest-performing sponsored content)
320 app downloads directly attributed via unique tracking link
Brand sentiment lift: +22% positive mentions in student surveys
Key Learning:
Editorial authenticity > polished brand content. Students wanted real stories, not aspirational marketing. Giving SMIRK creative control built trust and drove better performance.
Campaign 3: Compliment Feature Launch - Instagram Story Filter
Objective: Drive awareness and adoption of Bumble's new "Compliments" feature (allowing users to send compliments before matching)
Strategy:
Created branded Instagram AR filter allowing users to send virtual compliments to friends, with CTAs to try the in-app feature.
Execution:
Designed custom Instagram filter: "Bumble Compliments Generator"
Filter gave users randomized compliments (e.g., "Your smile lights up the feed," "You're giving main character energy")
Partnered with 12 campus micro-influencers to seed filter usage
Included swipe-up link to Bumble download page
Activation Plan:
Week 1: Influencer seeding (12 creators posted filter to stories)
Week 2: User-generated content amplification
Week 3: Campus event activation (compliment booth at Red Square)
Results:
500+ story views from personal influencer accounts
2,100+ total filter uses across campus
180 app downloads attributed to campaign
Feature adoption: 28% of new users tried Compliments within first week (vs. 10% baseline)
Unexpected Win:
Filter went viral beyond campus—used by non-UW students, extending reach organically. Bumble corporate team noticed and featured our filter in national social strategy.
Key Learning:
AR filters created shareability and organic reach. Low production cost ($500 for designer) but high engagement. Repeatable playbook for future feature launches.
Campaign 4: "It Started with Bumble..." Success Story Campaign
Objective: Build social proof and overcome trust barriers through authentic user testimonials
Strategy:
Collected and amplified real success stories from UW students who met friends, dates, or partners on Bumble. Created content series spanning Instagram, TikTok, and campus events.
Execution:
Recruited 20 student couples/friend groups through campus-wide casting call
Conducted photo shoots and video interviews at iconic UW locations (Drumheller Fountain, The Quad, Suzzallo Library)
Created multi-format content: Instagram carousels, TikTok testimonials, long-form blog posts
Content Formats:
Instagram: "How It Started vs. How It's Going" carousel posts
TikTok: 15-60 second story videos with trending audio
Print: Featured stories in campus newspaper and dining hall posters
Standout Success - Viral TikTok:
Featured Sarah & Emma, two friends who met on Bumble BFF during COVID isolation
Authentic, unscripted story about loneliness → friendship
Video received 47,000 views organically
Reposted by @Bumble (12M followers) and @BumbleHoney (890K followers) as sponsored content
Drove 850+ app downloads in 72-hour viral window
Campaign Results:
20 success stories created across 3 months
125,000+ combined impressions
18% engagement rate on success story content (vs. 6% for promotional posts)
Net Promoter Score increase: +15 points among UW students
Viral amplification: Corporate Bumble repurposed our content for national campaigns
Key Learning:
Authentic testimonials converted skeptics better than any promotional messaging. Students trusted peer experiences over brand claims. UGC (user-generated content) had 3x engagement vs. branded content.
INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN TACTICS
On-Campus Experiential Events (Supporting All Campaigns)
Event 1: Bumble BFF "Speed Friending" Mixer
Format: Structured 5-minute rotating conversations for friend-making
Location: HUB Ballroom (campus student center)
Attendance: 85 students
Results: 62% downloaded Bumble BFF, 40% activated accounts same-day
Cost per acquisition: $8.50 per new user
Event 2: "Single Awareness Day" Party (Anti-Valentine's Day)
Format: Games, photo booth, prizes, DJ
Location: Greek Row venue partnership
Attendance: 130 students
Results: 78 app downloads, 20% conversion rate
Viral moment: Photo booth content generated 15K organic impressions
Event 3: Quarterly "Bumble Crawl" Bar Partnerships
Format: Partner with 4 U-District bars for progressive happy hour
Execution: Exclusive discounts for verified Bumble users
Attendance: 200+ across 3 events
Results: 95 new downloads, high-quality engaged users (45-day retention: 65%)
DATA & MEASUREMENT FRAMEWORK
Attribution System Built:
Created tracking methodology to measure campaign effectiveness:
Unique Tracking Methods:
Custom promo codes per campaign (e.g., BINGOUW, SMIRKUW)
UTM parameters on all digital links
QR codes with campaign-specific landing pages
Post-event surveys asking "How did you hear about Bumble?"
KPIs Tracked:
Awareness Metrics: Impressions, reach, brand mentions
Engagement Metrics: CTR, engagement rate, content shares
Conversion Metrics: App downloads, account creation, verification rate
Quality Metrics: 7-day retention, 30-day retention, feature adoption
Cost Metrics: CPA (cost per acquisition), CPM, ROAS
Analytics Infrastructure:
Built custom Google Sheets dashboard pulling data from Instagram Insights, TikTok Analytics, and Bumble's internal tracking
Weekly reporting to regional manager on: downloads, cost per download, retention rates, event ROI
Monthly cohort analysis comparing acquisition channels
Key Insight from Data:
Events had highest quality users (30-day retention: 60%) despite higher CPA ($8.50 vs. $4.20 for social). Recommendation: Shift budget toward experiential despite higher upfront cost.
CHALLENGES & PROBLEM-SOLVING
Challenge 1: Budget Constraints Mid-Campaign
Problem: Q2 budget cut from $25K to $18K due to company-wide tightening
Solution:
Negotiated free venue space with campus organizations in exchange for co-marketing
Shifted from paid influencers ($500-1K per post) to micro-influencers (product/swag trade)
Leveraged existing UGC instead of producing new photo/video content
Focused on organic social and partnerships vs. paid ads
Result: Maintained 85% of original campaign scope at 72% of budget. Actually improved engagement rates by focusing on authenticity over production value.
Challenge 2: Competitor Counter-Campaign
Problem: Hinge launched aggressive campus campaign offering $10 Amazon gift cards for sign-ups
Solution:
Didn't match incentive (would've blown budget)
Leaned into Bumble differentiation: women-first safety, BFF mode for friendship
Launched "Find Your Crew, Not Just Your Crush" campaign emphasizing friendship angle
Positioned Hinge as transactional, Bumble as authentic community
Result: Actually increased downloads 12% during Hinge's promotion by targeting different emotional need state.
Challenge 3: Brand Safety Incident
Problem: Campus ambassador posted content at party with visible alcohol (brand safety violation for college marketing)
Response:
Immediately contacted ambassador, had content removed within 2 hours
Conducted emergency training session with all 12 ambassadors on brand guidelines
Implemented approval process: all content reviewed before posting
Created visual "Do's and Don'ts" guide with clear examples
Lesson: Proactive training > reactive damage control. Invested 3 hours upfront in comprehensive guidelines to prevent future issues.
RESULTS & IMPACT
Quantitative Results:
User Acquisition:
15% increase in UW app downloads (Sept 2022 - June 2023)
2,100 new users directly attributed to campaigns
Cost per acquisition: $4.85 (35% below $7.50 target)
Engagement:
275,000+ total impressions across all campaigns
12.5% average engagement rate (2x platform benchmarks)
Viral reach: 47K+ views on top-performing TikTok
Quality Metrics:
30-day retention: 52% (vs. 38% for paid acquisition)
Feature adoption: BFF mode adoption increased from 8% to 24%
.edu verification: +65% increase in verified campus accounts
Cost Efficiency:
Total spend: $68,000 across 10 months
ROI: 3.2x (calculated on estimated LTV of acquired users)
Organic reach: 40% of impressions were unpaid/earned media
Qualitative Impact:
Brand Perception Shift:
Pre-campaign survey: 35% of students viewed Bumble as "just another dating app"
Post-campaign survey: 72% viewed Bumble as "women-first community platform"
NPS increase: +22 points among UW students
Corporate Recognition:
UW success story content repurposed by @Bumble and @BumbleHoney for national campaigns
Campaign playbook shared with 15 other campus marketing managers
Invited to present at Bumble's quarterly Campus Marketing Summit
Scalability:
Framework replicated across 4 other Pacific Northwest campuses (WSU, OSU, UO, SPU)
Average 18% download increase when playbook applied to new markets
KEY LEARNINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS
What Worked:
Authenticity > Polish: User-generated content and real student stories outperformed professional brand content by 3x engagement
Micro-Influencers > Paid Ads: Campus influencers (1K-10K followers) delivered 2.5x ROI vs. Instagram/Facebook paid ads
Experiential Creates Loyalty: Event attendees had 60% 30-day retention vs. 35% for digital-only acquisition
Gamification Drives Action: Bumble Bingo increased .edu verification 65% by making compliance fun vs. mandatory
Partner with Trust: SMIRK UW partnership delivered credibility that brand messaging couldn't buy
What Didn't Work:
Generic Messaging: Early attempts at broad "Download Bumble" messaging had <2% CTR. Needed specific value props per audience segment.
LinkedIn Advertising: Tested $2K on LinkedIn targeting college students—0.8% CTR, terrible ROI. Students don't engage professionally on campus.
Dating Workshop Event: Hosted "Modern Dating 101" educational session—only 8 attendees. Students wanted fun experiences, not lectures.
Recommendations for Scale:
If Expanding to New Campus:
Start with influencer research—identify 10-15 trusted campus voices before spending on ads
Partner with existing student media (campus newspapers, Instagram accounts) for credibility
Lead with experiential events to build community, then amplify via social
Create attribution tracking from day one—can't optimize what you don't measure
Budget 60% experiential, 30% influencer/partnerships, 10% paid ads
For Twitch Application:
This playbook directly translates to creator/streamer partnerships—focus on authentic advocacy over transactional sponsorships, build trust through community engagement, and measure quality over volume.
PORTFOLIO ARTIFACTS
Supporting Materials Available:
Campaign creative samples (Instagram posts, TikTok videos, event photos)
Analytics dashboard screenshots showing attribution and conversion funnels
Success story video content (with talent releases)
Budget breakdown and ROI calculations
Influencer partnership contracts and SOWs
Event rundown documents and logistics planning
SKILLS DEMONSTRATED
Campaign Strategy & Execution - Multi-channel integrated campaigns
Influencer/Creator Marketing - Managed 20+ influencer partnerships
Data-Driven Optimization - Built attribution models, A/B testing framework
Budget Management - $68K total spend across 10 months
Cross-Functional Collaboration - Coordinated with Brand, Product, Regional teams
Event Marketing - Planned and executed 20+ campus events
Content Creation - Developed social media content, AR filters, UGC campaigns
Problem Solving - Navigated budget cuts, competitor threats, brand safety issues
Stakeholder Management - Reported to regional manager, presented to corporate leadership
Bumble BFF Activation