If 2019 had us face-palming at the state of the world and 2020 had us shrugging with uncertainty about the future*, 2021 is the year we all exchanged and watched the drama continue to unfold. From sharing a collective look of to a common appreciation for simple meet-cutes to keeping it real with vax mentions, Tinder Gen Z members showed how they were authentically themselves as they looked to connect with new people in 2021.
2021 was a side-eye kind of year
While millions of emojis were used in Tinder bios, one rising star really caught our attention: the Side eye ? saw a whopping 40% increase in usage in Tinder bios globally this year, as members showed a mixed bag of optimism and skepticism throughout the year.
URL or and IRL.
In 2021, Gen Z enjoyed both virtual meet-cutes and post-vax IRL dates. Video dates have turned into a first date staple for singletons with mentions of “video call” in Tinder bios growing by 52% globally. Under lockdown more this year than last, Thais took to video dating on Tinder with Nakhon Ratchasima and Khon Kaen, the chattiest cities across the country.
Although partial lockdowns limited IRL travel, it didn’t stop Thais’ dating wanderlust with Gen Z Passporting to Seoul, London, New York, Tokyo and LA to find their perfect Match. Closer to home, the top Passport destinations in Thailand were Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, Pathum Thani and Hat Yai.
Yet, Gen Z were also looking to make a connection with new people close to them for real life hangouts นัดเจอ (let’s meet) and หาเพื่อนเที่ยว (looking for someone I can hangout with) increasing in Thai bios by 77% and 85% respectively.
First date ideas ranged from cozy to outdoorsy.
First date drinks are officially outdated! In 2021, we also learned that first dates have become more about activities than icebreakers. Daters are picking more interesting, unique first date activities that help them really get to know each other. Gen Z in Thailand were all about the outdoors – Tinder saw a 3.2X increase in mentions of กางเต็นท์ (camping) in Thai bios and, mountains and beaches emerged as popular date venues. Yet chilling indoors was also a vibe with, เล่นเกม (gaming), ดูหนัง (watch movies) and ฟังเพลง (listen to music) all popular date activity choices suggested by Thai Gen Z in their Tinder bios.
Being vaxxed became a (dating) flex.
In a year when getting vaxxed was the first thing on the date prep checklist, sharing the post-vaccine lifestyle on their Tinder bios made Gen Z feel safer to meet someone. As vaccination drives accelerated locally, mentions of วัคซีน (vaccine) in bios in Thailand grew 27x year-on-year as members advocated for vaccine status as a dating essential.
Vaccine badges*** from Tinder became the new flaunt feature with the badge being the most popular by far amongst Thai Gen Z members.
Small gestures made it big.
It’s the smallest of favours that make a date a favourite. Mentions of “small things” increased by 30% year on year in Tinder bios as members shared their appreciation for the little joys in life. Simple pleasures such as Moo Kra-ta (Thai-style BBQ) grew by more than 2x and บุฟเฟ่ต์ (Buffet) by 25% year on year in Thai Tinder bios.
Dating anthems were all kinds of feels.
With music being the top Passion shared amongst Tinder members globally, what songs members choose to display on their profile told us a lot about their mood. The raw emotions of Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber’s STAY and Olivia Rodgrio’s good4u ranked as chart-toppers in Thai Tinder bios in 2021.
Thai Gen Z also embraced their real selves proudly sharing their Passions on Tinder. From Music and Netflix to Travel Movies and Making friends, Passions lead to meaningful conversations and new connections.
Speaking of Thai Gen Z’s dating adaptability, Papri Dev, APAC Communications at Tinder said, “Whilst 2021 has been a year of anticipation and uncertainty, Gen Z in Thailand have reacted with their own brand of optimism and authenticity. As they continue to navigate a blend of URL and IRL dating, the trends of 2021 are going to guide the way Thai Gen Z’s navigate the world of dating, friends, connections and relationships, and we’re excited to watch it all unfold.”
Notes:
All Mentions in Tinder bios taken from the period 1 Jan 2021 and 30 Nov 2021
*most popular emojis from Year in Swipe 2019 and 2020
** from Tinder’s VIBE feature
*** badges as available in Tinder’s Vaccine Centre
Tinder and Year in Swipe are trademarks of Match Group, LLC.
Source: PR Room