OkCupid Gets a Little Naughty With Their Latest Ad Campaign

With vaccine rollout now widespread throughout the US and life tip-toeing back to a semblance of normalcy, dating apps like OkCupid are seizing the opportunity to appeal to pent-up singles desperate to shirk quarantine-induced dry spells.

Keen on standing out from a crowded field of dating platforms licking their chops this post-lockdown hot girl summer, OKCupid has rolled out a cheeky, out-of-home global ad campaign that’s bold in more ways than one.

From the naughty minds of advertising agency Mekanism (Peloton, Alaska Airlines, MedMen), and brought to life by artist and provocateur Maurizio Cattelan (remember the duct tape banana?) with photographer Pierpaolo Ferrari, this lewd series doesn’t shy away from pushing some buttons in the name of unbuttoning others.

The posters contain brightly saturated visuals depicting a quirky sample of “every single person” OkCupid is aiming to coax into their database of daters. Aside from its obvious appeals to shock consumers with its offbeat, provocative imagery, the campaign also aspires to convey the inclusivity OKCupid has always championed.

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To its credit, the site has previously sought guidance from the Human Rights Campaign for generating a comprehensive list of o
ver 60 gender identities and orientations for its users. These ads continue this celebration of diversity, from the sentiment behind the double entendre of the “every single person” tagline to the variety of subjects in each photo.

But not everyone is swiping right. Some cosmopolitan heavy hitters like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago have banned particular images from the campaign due to their crude subject matter. OkCupid is unfazed, with Katrina Mustakas of Mekanism offering to The Drum that “When you’re truly inclusive, you’re bound to offend someone.”

Plus, just as in dating, you just can’t please everyone.