As the world's largest social networking app for gay, bi, curious and queer men, Grindr saw an opportunity to be more than just a place for the global GBTQ community to connect. Just as gay bars evolved into being centers of community, activism and information for the gay people, Grindr, too, felt the need to evolve and expand the role it played in the lives of the diverse and multifaceted LGBTQ community.
Grindr started by evaluating the existing LGBTQ+ media landscape, who it was targeting and whether or not the content created reflected the current pulse of the community.
We found that: There is a huge gap in the LGBTQ content world. Traditional gay publications cater to an older demographic, and cover topics that are less in tune with where culture is headed. Younger, millennial readers want more than just pictures of hot guys and gals, they want to delve into issues and more serious topics.
INTO identified an opportunity to resonate with younger, millennial readers—particularly those who are marginalized like the transgender community, queer community and people of color. INTO's hope is to give visibility and a voice to underserved audiences with content that is fresh and relevant.
To ensure INTO is written for millennials by millennials, INTO secured award-winning journalist, Zach Stafford (OUT, Guardian US), as Editor in Chief. With his investigative reporting background, Zach takes pitches daily and assigns stories based on current events. He works with a staff of over 300 writers and contributors including some favorite queer writers like Nico Lang and Mathew Rodriguez.
INTO produces original content, offering up new narratives that appeal to millennials, 80% of whom identify as LGBTQ or an ally. Together the team at INTO has produced incredible stories, videos and exclusives that speak to the interests of the younger LGBTQ+ community. These include: Travel features including one that provides an exclusive look at the underground queer dance party of Tbilisi, Georgia—the only place for queers to be themselves; News and world affairs including updates on the situation in Chechnya and other injustices globally; A monthly transgender interest column penned by Raquel Willis, a Black queer transgender activist and National Organizer for Transgender Law Center, the largest organization in the U.S. advocating on behalf of transgender and gender nonconforming people; Celebrity profiles on LGBTQ influencers like Jinx Monsoon, Lilly Wachowski and Perez Hilton; Music coverage like the release of Matt Lambert's barbershop video series with Mykki Blanco, Cakes Da Killa and Yung Assata exploring blackness, queerness and music; Culture stories such as the in-depth profile of the UK's first gay Muslim couple who were married a few weeks ago and went viral.
"What the Flip," Grindr's first ever web series that explores racism, ageism and other problems with dating apps through a simple social experiment; The first queer Advice Column that is housed and sourced through the world's largest GBTQ social networking app written by J.P. Brammer.
Additionally, INTO believes it can help advertisers reach this younger millennial demographic and their allies in a way that resonates and is authentic. INTO's launch campaign is a perfect example of what we are capable of. INTO leveraged an integrated approach that utilized digital ads; billboards purchased in New York Times Square, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Chicago.; a PR agency to secure earned media coverage; and a rooftop launch event hosted in LA that integrated media, influencers, VIPs, zines and social media (#INTOmore).
Although the launch of INTO and INTOmore.com drove an incredible amount of reach for a new publication, including 2.5 million monthly active users within its first few months of existence and an additional 400M+ impressions from our combined digital and out of home campaigns, our success was measured in more than just clicks.
Our web series, including "What The Flip" which explored racism, ageism, and other problems that plague the gay community, have driven over 3M Monthly Unique Visitors in the first month at intomore.com.
With regards to helping advertisers connect with millennial LGBTQ+ audiences, INTO has already secured advertisers like Halo Top Ice Cream, FX American Horror Story: Cult, and Gilead*, makers of groundbreaking pharmaceutical Truvada, an HIV pre-exposure prophylactic medication that has been shown to be 99 percent successful at preventing HIV transmission if taken daily.
Finally, despite being a young publication, INTO has covered a number of groundbreaking stories, domestic and international issues, celebrities, and notable communities not normally represented in mainstream or LGBTQ+ media. It is our hope to continue making a difference by creating great content for these audiences.
