Tinder launches first video ad campaign with Bud Light

The mobile matchmaking app has been experimenting with different forms of monetization

Despite having a pretty rough year, weathering a damaging scandalous sexual harassment suit that cost CEO Sean Rad his job, Tinder is still a force to be reckoned with. It's one of, if not the most popular matchmaking services on mobile out there, so it's not surprising that brands would want in on that.

So now Tinder is going to a well that so many others before it have dipped into: advertising.

The company has announced the launch of its first ever video ad partnership, coming together with Bud Light and its "Whatever, USA" ad campaign.

Here's how it works:  all users have to do is "swipe right" four or five times in the app, and then Bud Light's video unit will launch. Once the video stops playing, those users will have the opportunity to be redirected to a co-branded page where they can enter a contest to be selected  for a chance to win what the two companies are calling "the weekend of a lifetime."

To be selected, users have to create a 15 second audition video, using #BudLight and #Entry.

"For this effort, Bud Light and Tinder collaborated to create custom video creative inspired by the Tinder experience. Users can pause, resume and replay the Bud Light video as they engage within the app," the companies explain. "Tinder and Bud Light will test various video lengths over the course of the campaign."

The ad will only be shown those 21 and older, because, you know, it involves alcohol. 

"We're thrilled to work with Bud Light as we introduce opportunities for brands to connect with our global community. The Bud Light campaign is a unique and fun experience for Tinder users that fits seamlessly into the platform," Alexis Ginas, the Head of Global Brand Solutions at Tinder, said in a statement. 

Advertising is just one of the ways that Tinder is trying to make money.

In March, the company launched a premium version of the app, called Tinder Plus, but that was met with controversy due to the fact that the company was charing In $9.99 a month for users 29 and under, and $19.99 for those over 30.

The partnership with Bud Light is also not the first time that Tinder has hooked up with a national brand. In January it partnered with Gillette to highlight whether women preferred men with, or without, facial hair. 

This is, however, the first time that Tinder is going the traditional advertising route, potentially disrupting the experience on its app. It's a potentially risky gamble, but one that has paid off very handsomely for those who have been able to pull it off. 

(Image source: crazierlife.com)