Case Study

Match

Creating new value by creating new difference.

Industry
Technology
Stage
Enterprise

Launched in 1995, Match.com was a pioneer in online dating. Twenty years later, technology had significantly changed as had dating.

Launched in 1995, Match.com was a pioneer in online dating. Twenty years later, technology had significantly changed as had dating.

In the late 2010s, Match.com encountered two significant headwinds. The first was younger users' preference for swipe-based dating apps. Quick, gamified interactions appealed to the age group’s casual, short-term approach to dating. The second was increased market fragmentation. Waves of new entrants captured niches, chipping away at the broad user bases historically enjoyed by established platforms such at Match.

Match asked COLLINS to help them improve their long-term competitiveness.

The opportunity began with a brewing industry problem: user fatigue from dating at speed and scale. Users reported endless options feeling like endless disappointment. Swiping intrigue devolved into swiping fatigue. And that filling your week with different first dates never fills your cup.

Match stood in contrast. Unlike its swiping apps competition, Match offered comprehensive profiles that didn’t take minutes to create; it took thought and intention. Additionally, its matching algorithms optimized for substantive interactions and relationships, saving users the trouble of swiping endlessly. Optimized its product for depth over speed, quality over quality, Match was, as we repositioned it, the platform to find long-term commitment.

We reimagined the brand, communications, product design, and product features to deliver on the company’s new value proposition. Gone were any cues of “casual” or “gamification.” Embraced were elements of romance, sincerity, sophistication and integrity. The identity itself tells the story: A match that ends in love.

A few months before the official launch, Match tested the new identity to see how it resonated with their customers. A 13% increase across all key metrics on Match’s platform revealed that the new identity and language was, well … loved. As of recent data, Match.com has over 39 million users. The 30-to-49-year-old group represents a significant portion. The fastest-growing demographic within the platform is the 50+ age group.

COLLINS
Nick AceDashiell AlisonIan AronsonMadeleine CarrucanPaul JunArielle KroloffGeorge LavenderKristine LimEric ParkZuzanna RogattyDiego Segura
Typography
Wulkan by Jan Estrada-OsmyckiReckless Neue by Displaay BeausiteClassic by Fatype
Photography
Ashley BatzMari JulianoTheo Livaudais
Match
Lauren DeFordAyesha GilardeHesam HosseiniSean LesterBrittany PiersonAyni RaimondiDushyant SaraphAmarnath ThombreKatie Wilson

Augments

Augments are add-on components or properties that enhance a design system’s performance. They introduce new capabilities, expand functionality and improve how the system works across contexts.

Augments

Augments are add-on components or properties that enhance a design system’s performance. They introduce new capabilities, expand functionality and improve how the system works across contexts.

Chromatic Romance

We used a color palette inspired by the visual language of romance. Soft blushes, warm creams and deep reds bring a feeling of intimacy and warmth, like elegant old interiors. Darker tones—rich burgundy, midnight blue and black—create contrast and add a sense of drama.

Hidden Story

The Match wordmark is built around an italic “a” whose counter forms half of a heart. As the letter resolves, the full heart appears—letting typography turn into pure emotion. Its Roman structure gives the mark a timeless, humanist feel, while the extended serifs add a sense of maturity.

Endurance Function

Because a brand accrues power over time, we engineer our identity systems to be both timely and timeless. Our designs avoid fleeting trends, favoring bespoke visuals and timeless principles.

Flex Deck

A logic function embedded in the identity system to ensure brand coherence across diverse applications—critical for any high-performance system, as research shows coherent brands are 2.1 times more likely to achieve salience.

Verbal System

A component augment that synchronizes language, tone and storytelling across all applications. By blending copywriting and UX principles, it ensures the brand voice is consistent, powerful and resonant across touch points.

Impact

Elevated Value Proposition

Match avoided the "gamified dating" problem to create a more emotionally resonant, mature dating platform.

13%

Improvement in Key Metrics

A 13% average increase across key brand and platform performance metrics.

5x

Preference Among Mature Singles

Match stands out as one of the leading platforms for mature singles—with users age 50+ citing it at roughly five times the rate of younger‑skewed apps like Tinder.

50+

Fastest Growing Age Segment

The fastest-growing demographic within the platform has been the 50+ age group.

More Premium Interface

Refined UI design increased emotional credibility, helping Match feel more trustworthy, mature and worthy of serious relationships.

Improved Competitiveness

Match successfully positioned itself as a platform for users who want to make deeper connections and find long-term, committed relationships.