Matchmaking service Tawkify adds ‘anti-flat’ dating app S’More to its mobile extension

Matchmaking service provider takificar announced today that it has acquired S’More, an “anti-vision” dating app that had been experimenting with blurry profile photos and even blurry video chats to get people to meet without focusing on looks. .

With the acquisition, S’More will discontinue its app and instead founder Adam Cohen Aslatei will join the Tawkify team to lead the launch of its first mobile product. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but S’More has raised $3.2 million in seed funding, according to Crunchbase.

Tawkify’s new app, scheduled for release in mid-2023, will give users access to its matchmaking service, new relationship wellness services, as well as “media features, exclusive and shareable content,” Cohen Aslatei told TechCrunch.

Not much else was shared about the upcoming app, except that the new exclusive content would feature matchmakers, romance coaches, dating experts, and even celebrities. Tawkify is also launching its own content studio to produce the content that will be available on its website and social media platforms.

Tawkify plans to partner with businesses and media organizations to give users access to exclusive benefits, special offers and events.

While S’More is no longer around, we understand that some features will appear in the new Tawkify app. The main feature of S’More was the blurring of profile pictures and video chats. Each time the conversation with the potential partner continued, the user’s photo or video was shown.

From a philosophical point of view, [Tawkify and S’More] They are very aligned,” Tawkify CEO Kellie Ammerman told TechCrunch. “We basically do blind games, so we don’t show pictures, which is quite unusual in the industry, but it worked for us. we appreciate it [S’More] it has the same non-superficial aspect as dating.

S’More first launched in select cities in 2019. In 2021, the company launched a celebrity dating and networking show on Instagram, s’more live, which the company says has more than 285 episodes and 10 million views. At the time of the acquisition, S’More would have more than 450,000 users.

According to Tawkify, a mobile app is in high demand, noting that the term “Tawkify” averages more than 350,000 organic searches on the App Store per month.

“The mobile app allows us to expand the concept of matchmaking to a wider audience and demystify it for many Americans. The current attitude towards matchmaking in America is based on a limited number of references, mostly funny TV shows, but through the app millions of people will be able to learn what matchmaking is and have the chance to experience it,” he added. Cohen. Ash lintel.

Cohen Aslatei noted that, as a former Bumble executive, he has seen dating apps “go out of favor for a while” and believes matchmaking is a more effective alternative.

While there is no doubt that dating apps will continue to be popular, some users have become frustrated with online dating and have turned to matchmaking services to find love. Tinder downloads are down 5% in 2021, according to the Financial Times.

Tawkify was founded around the same time as Tinder and Hinge. In 2012, Kenneth Shaw put an end to online dating, so he launched a human-based matchmaking service that doesn’t rely on algorithms or technology. Now Tawkify has more than 245 employees and more than 200,000 games. The company claims to have an 80% success rate: Customers find relationship success within the first 12 correspondence.

Users can sign up as a Matchmaker member for $99 per year or as a Matchmaker customer, which offers three different packages. For example, customers can pay $4,500 for a three-way set, $7,900 for a six-way set, or $14,400 for a 12-way set. Being a Matchmaker member means that your profile is visible to Tawkify customers, but you don’t have your own matchmaker.

It claims to be the cheapest matchmaking alternative with a mission to democratize matchmaking and make it more accessible to everyone.