The question is...would you begin talking with someone online without knowing what they look like?
People, especially between men and women, have definite opinions, but it may all come down to what it is you're looking for and....whether you're brave enough to find that relationship you've been longing for.
Today's dating culture is all about judgmental swiping, which leaves people looking for "greener grass" and the ghosting of potential partners after a brief "Hi, Cutie". If you're single and in quarantine with your plants, this kind of rejection can feel much worse than other pre-Covid-19 times when you could just meet someone else and get together immediately. This is leaving many singles wanting something more.
After successfully launching in New York, Boston, and DC, that something more is now also in Chicago.
S’More (a.k.a. Something More) believes that social distancing is good for people who
are looking for a substantial relationship.
The new anti-superficial relationship app blurs photos initially and encourages deeper conversations to unblur photos and unlock other visual content and is grabbing the attention of national media, such as the Wall Street Journal, Elle, Shape, Esquire, Marie Claire, The View, Comedy Central, and countless publications for its new spin on match making.
Similar to the hit Netflix series “Love is Blind”, on S’More you can hear a person’s voice, and listen to their favorite music, interact with their interests and preferences all on a profile that feels like a MySpace page instead of a dating profile.
Adam Cohen Aslatei, CEO of S’More, who spent years working at other dating app companies, is an expert on the industry and said none of them were focused on creating real relationships until S’More.
And, People Want S’More...
...especially right now. S’More reports that over the last week:
its average conversation length has nearly doubled (indicating high quality connections)
daily activity has increased over 20%the number of sessions per day has also increased by over 10%
60% of conversations are started by women
18% of users on the app identify as part of the LGBTQAI+ community
Love in the Time of Quarantine – Social Distancing Isn’t Emotional Distancing
In this time of “social distancing”, people are looking for deeper and more intentional connections that go beyond a selfie. They are at home, alone, and thinking “I don’t want to go through quarantine alone again. What and who do I want in my life? I want a relationship.”
The S’More model encourages people to do just this – build a connection that could become a meaningful relationship rather than just judging someone on their photo.
“The need for genuine social connections has never been higher. Many people are alone and working from home, consuming passive media, with very little human interaction. This can be unhealthy over the long-haul, and although it has been advised to reduce social exposure, the desire for human engagement has never been higher,” say Adam Cohen Aslatei, CEO of S’More “ It's amazing how people are connecting on the app, helping one another, sharing stories and tips, and connecting on a deeper level.”
In Fact...
S’More launched a campaign, called “Social Distance is Not Emotional Distance” which raises money and visibility to support the surge demand of nearly 40% HopeLine has seen in response to Coronavirus. Individuals home alone are having a difficult time with social distancing and it can, understandably, take a toll on one's heart, mind and spirit.
HopeLine has been around since the 1970’s and is one of the oldest crisis prevention organizations in the country. It is a free, 24/7 support line for those in crisis. Anyone in the United States or Canada can call or text 919-231-4525 or toll-free 877-235-4525 to connect with highly trained Crisis Counselors. Thousands of people utilize the free service each year. In March, HopeLine fielded over 1,740 calls and texts, one of its heaviest months of activity in recent time. At least 90% of the volume referenced Coronavirus.
“Effective immediately, we are redirecting a large chunk of our marketing spend towards this important initiative, because social and emotional connectedness matters now more than ever,” said Adam
“This partnership uniquely allows one community to support another through the power of connection and it could not come at a more appropriate time," says Lauren Foster Executive Director of HopeLine. "Coronavirus has led HopeLine to a run on virtually all of our resources and we don’t anticipate the need dissipating anytime soon.”
For each new conversation started on S’More, a $1 donation will be made to HopeLine. The aim is to get people chatting, create connections, and make people realize that they are not alone.
What Does Dating Look Like Post-Covid-19?
“It's important to remember that social distancing is not emotional distancing,” said Adam Cohen Aslatei CEO/Founder of S’More. “Although it's best to be physically separated at the moment, we should be emotionally connected now more than ever. Which is why we have to get creative about how we date. This is the perfect time to get to know a person from the inside out and over time, instead of simply judging based on little more than a selfie. Dating behaviors have forever changed,” says Cohen Aslatei.
He adds that COVID-19 will fundamentally change dating behaviors forever. Gone are the days when we date a new person each night of the week, and treat relationships as if they were disposable. Millennials who are beginning to turn 40 in 2020 are very single (50% in fact), and have been conditioned in large part to base prospective relationships on little more than a selfie.
Coming out of COVID-19 he anticipates that there will be a new appreciation for relationships and getting to know a person on a deeper level. "People will be more apprehensive about casual encounters, given the increased health and security risk. And, 'slow dating' will continue to grow in popularity with younger audiences. Long-distance dating will also grow in popularity as people look for true compatibility and conversation over just a pretty face.
Virtual Dating A New Norm...for Now
There are so many ways to stay connected and continue to build on your relationships. You just need to get creative.
Try planning out a future date in great detail, together. Decide what to wear, where you'll go, what you'll order, and drink etc. Write your match a cute poem and send it via snail mail, or go simple with these first "virtual" date ideas.
Create your own “Cribs” episode
Watch TV or movie together
Virtual museum tours: Chicago Art Institute, Shedd Aquarium or travel outside of Chicago to the Louvre or MOMA in New York, Georigia Aquarium.
Facetime or video call a dinner date or cook a meal together
Send them take out
Play multi-player games like Quiz Up and HQ Trivia now back
Take a virtual class together and then talk about it afterwards
Teach, or show, one another a hobby
Event Brite has so many options to choose from. The big takeaway is keep it consistent, be creative, and don't ghost!
Quarantine can be an incredible time of self-discovery, if you let it, and what just might come out of it is the kind of relationship that you've been waiting for.
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