CWC: Dating apps & Data storytelling

THE WHO:

Michael Kaye is the director of brand marketing and communications at Match Group's ARCHER and OkCupid dating apps where he oversees influencer partnerships, public relations and social media. During his time at Match Group, he's been named Business Insider Top Tech PR Pro, The PR Net Marcomms Most Influential, PRovoke Media Innovator 25, PRWeek 40 Under 40, Ragan Game Changer and Stevie Awards Communications Professional of the Year. Michael teaches at New York University, and is on the board of the Impact Communications Institute. Kaye earned his bachelor's degree from the University at Albany, and his master's degree from American University. 

THE Q&A:

Q: Everyone’s going to want to hear a bit about what you’re working on at Match Group because we’re all familiar with dating apps. Can you share what a bit about what you’re working on and why you enjoy working there?

I have a very personal experience with dating apps, as many people do. Dating apps are a personal product. I was in the closet throughout college, only coming out after graduation. Even before coming out, I realized dating apps could connect me with other gay men discreetly, as I was afraid to talk to them in public. That's how closeted I was. I downloaded a popular gay dating app at the time, which had plain profiles. It reinforced the idea that queer love and connection should remain hidden and secretive, almost traumatizing me. The only other dating app I heard a lot about in 2014 was Tinder. I downloaded it and started talking to people. I'm about to celebrate 10 years since my first Tinder date, where I felt safe and accepted.

I never thought I would work at a dating app until I received a cold message on LinkedIn from Melissa Hobley, then the Chief Marketing Officer for OkCupid. I fell in love with her and wanted the job simply because of her. As I researched OkCupid, I fell in love with the brand, which has been a champion of the queer community since its launch in 2004. It has partnered with ACLU, GLAAD, the Human Rights Campaign, and Planned Parenthood. The leadership and product teams go above and beyond to ensure everyone, regardless of identity or relationship preference, feels accepted and welcomed on OkCupid more than other options. That's what interested me in this space and has kept me here for the past five years.

Q: Thank you for sharing your personal experience. I think that transitions to another question about diversity, equity and inclusion in comms – which parts of your identity do you think are important to bring to work?

I appreciate that question. When I reflect on diversity, equity, and inclusion within the communications industry and our work, I often reminisce about my college days. My fascination with this field began when I started reading PRWeek in my college library. I was captivated by the remarkable campaigns and the diverse array of agencies and their work. However, I couldn't help but notice a pattern across various lists—whether it was "40 under 40" or similar accolades—where the same types of individuals seemed to dominate. It took time, but transitioning to OKCupid and working in-house was transformative for me personally. The company bolstered my confidence and provided a platform for me to advocate for what truly matters to me. Much of my focus has been on championing LGBTQ rights, including my involvement with the Human Rights Campaign board. This commitment carries into my daily work at OkCupid and Archer, where we partner with GLAAD for mission-driven initiatives. While acknowledging the ongoing work needed in our industry, I also recognize the progress made. Today's lists feature a more diverse representation, with queer individuals and women prominently featured.

Despite the industry's historically male-dominated landscape, I've been fortunate to have powerful women mentors at every career stage. This isn't to discredit the value of male perspectives, but rather to emphasize the necessity for diverse voices at all levels.

Over the years, I've realized the importance of showing up authentically as an openly gay and Jewish individual, particularly in my role as an educator at NYU. As I teach the next generation of communication leaders, I strive to ensure they see themselves represented within the industry. That's why I purposefully curate guest speakers—many of whom are women, BIPOC individuals, and members of the LGBTQ community—to share their stories and insights with my students. It's crucial for them to see a reflection of themselves in the professionals shaping our field. 

Q: Stepping back a bit – how’d you get into comms?

When I was younger, I aspired to be a journalist. I worked on my high school newspaper and eventually became the editor of the feature section. In college, I covered local news, focusing on crime and politics for a newspaper in my hometown county. I was among the first contributing writers at Elite Daily when it initially launched. Despite my enjoyment of writing, I've never been much of a risk-taker. In the 2010s, I observed significant transformation and turbulence in the media industry, prompting me to seek out an adjacent field that would blend my passion for writing with my interest in events and social media. 

At the time, I didn't have a specific dream job title; I simply wanted to be a storyteller and found a way to pursue that. My ambition during college and beyond was fueled by being a first-generation college graduate with no industry connections, leading me to start interning my sophomore year. I applied to nearly every internship opportunity provided by my communications department and was active on LinkedIn from the outset. After college, I hustled my way through various roles in the agency world, from Weber Shandwick to Ruder Finn to Edelman, before transitioning in-house at Match Group in 2019. Over nearly five years, I led OKCupid's PR efforts in the United States, which quickly expanded into a global role, overseeing the brand's launch in Australia, Germany, Israel, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. Hotwire served as our partner for many of these launches, and I had the opportunity to manage communications agencies in each market.

Currently, I oversee brand marketing and communications for Archer, a new dating app for queer men, where I manage communications, influencer marketing, and social media for both apps.

Q: Since you now manage agency relationships – what’s the most important thing about making the agency/client relationship work?

Trust, it has to be about trust. I really appreciate the years I spent on the agency side. I worked in boutique, midsize and large firms, so I got a breadth of experience. When I was hiring a firm at OKCupid because I needed to find a partner that worked in all of different global markets, I went into that relationship with a certain level of trust.

I constantly reminded myself, I might be a comms expert, but I’m not a comms expert in Israel, or Germany, or Australia, or the UK. They are here for a reason and for me, there was nothing worse than working tirelessly for a client who didn’t trust and empower you. So, it was really important for me that working with a global agency it was a partnership. These people are my colleagues, my equals. That’s the approach I take.

Q: You asked that we make sure to talk metrics and data. I love that because many of us comms folks chose this field because we’re not the most math oriented. So, let’s talk about that a bit.

You've really hit the nail on the head. Initially a business major in college, I later switched to communications. I vividly recall telling my parents that I wasn't good with numbers and was afraid I wouldn't do well in those courses.

When I joined OKCupid, I faced the challenge of distinguishing our brand in a saturated market. I thought about our unique selling point and realized it was in our data-driven approach. Unlike other dating apps, OkCupid matches users based on a myriad of questions covering not only dating and relationships but also pressing issues for Gen Z and Millennials such as climate change, marriage equality, race, and reproductive health care. Recognizing the competitive landscape, with apps like Hinge and Tinder under the Match Group portfolio, I understood the importance of leveraging data to stand out in media coverage. While newer brands might attract more attention, I aimed to dominate conversations by offering insights none of our competitors could match.

I approached our data team with a newfound appreciation for numbers, requesting intensive training to harness data analytics tools and access to our vast dataset. By becoming proficient in data analysis, I aimed to enhance our media outreach and provide journalists with valuable, timely insights. Our dataset, comprising over 10 billion responses, offered a wealth of material for crafting compelling, localized stories.

It's ironic that over a decade ago, I shied away from numbers, yet today, my role revolves around data analysis and storytelling.

I've even penned an op-ed on data storytelling for PR Week even.

As communicators, it's imperative that we embrace data literacy like marketers do. This extends beyond storytelling efforts to encompass reporting and demonstrating the impact of our work.

For instance, in my previous role at an agency, we shifted focus from reporting impressions to measuring tangible business impact. At OKCupid, I collaborate with data and finance teams to develop metrics that truly reflect our impact. One notable finding was that users attracted to OKCupid via news articles exhibited above-average spending on our app. Rather than fixating on impressions, I emphasize outcomes that drive business growth. 

Q: What does work life balance look like for you?

Yeah, so I am a bad case study because I really need to be busy. I lead brand marketing and comms for two dating apps. I teach at NYU. I'm on the board of the Impact communications Institute. I've been on the board of the Human Rights Campaign. I really like to be busy.

For me, the way I think about work life balance is not necessarily if I don't have to work on the weekend or work at night. That's going to happen. But for me, it's about finding those pockets of time where I can completely detach and do something that powers my soul and mind. I prioritize no matter what is going on in the week. I don't care if we have a big announcement. I don't care if we have an event, a huge presentation - I will find time to go to SoulCycle. I went this morning right before our chat. So awesome. I will find time to read. I'm on my eighth book of 2024. I will find time to go for a walk in Central Park or stay in and catch up on RuPaul drag race. I find these moments for myself and that really calm me down and help me keep going. So that's how I think about work life balance for me.

QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS

Q: Coffee, mocktail, or cocktail?

Oh I love coffee, and a cocktail. So I’ll do an espresso martini!

Q: Guilty pleasure?

I’m not guilt about it, but I love reality TV and true crime. I could talk about it 24/7. 

Q: Are you afraid AI will take your job?

Absolutely not. I think the best communicators are going to learn how to leverage AI in many different ways.

Q: Online or print?

Online. But I still buy a big stack of magazines and I actually have framed newspaper clippings in my apartment.

Q: Favorite publication?

PRWeek

Q: How would your friends and family describe you?

Ambitious

Q: What’s one word you’d use to describe working in comms?

A lot of…opportunity