DOWN
Founded2013 (2013)
Area servedGlobal
Founder(s)
  • Colin Hodge
  • Omri Mor
CEOColin Hodge
IndustrySoftware
URLwww.downapp.com
DOWN
Initial releaseJanuary 23, 2013 (2013-01-23)
Stable release(s)
  • iOS 6.17 – October 18, 2021 (2021-10-18)
  • Android 4.22.0 – October 12, 2021 (2021-10-12)
[1][2]
Operating systemAndroid, iOS
Available inEnglish, French, German, Indonesian, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Traditional Chinese, and Vietnamese[1]
Websitewww.downapp.com

DOWN is a location-based social networking and online dating application for users looking for casual relationships and hookups. Users can swipe up for more serious dating, swipe down for casual hookups, or left to pass, and continue to the next profile.[3] DOWN bills itself as a open-minded, sex-positive alternative to other dating apps.

Founded in 2013 as Bang with Friends, the app began as a Facebook web app for curious singles to find which of their Facebook friends were interested in "banging," or casual sex. After lawsuits from Zynga, the developer of popular games like Words with Friends, Bang with Friends changed its name to DOWN in late 2013.[4][5]

History

Bang With Friends

Bang with Friends was launched by Colin Hodge and Omri Mor after meeting at Boost VC, a venture capital tech incubator in San Mateo, California. After working on HeardAboutYou, an app billed as Linkedin for lovers, Hodge looked for a way to simplify the online dating process for users who were looking for something casual.[6][7][8]

In just the first few weeks after launch in January 2013, Bang with Friends picked up coverage first from the niche entertainment site, BroBible, and then went viral with stories in BuzzFeed, the Daily Mail, The Daily Beast, and even the Colbert Report.[9][10][11][12] News coverage and online discussion often highlighted the provocative and humorous marketing from the viral app company.[11][12]

For the first few months, the startup continued to spark discussion and attention from the press, keeping their identities anonymous.[7][11] While there was speculation about the identity of the founders, they granted interviews anonymously, identifying only as "C" or other letters.[8] After founder Colin Hodge's identity was revealed in promotional material for New York's 2013 Internet Week, Gawker landed Hodge's first public interview.[6]

In the first year, Bang With Friends raised $1 million from investors, including Boost VC, Tim Draper, and Great Oaks Venture Capital.[13][14]

Bang With Friends reached 1 million users within three months of launch.[15][16] With the surge of registrations and press attention, the Bang With Friends app gained even more headlines with a guerilla marketing campaign at the March, 2013 South by Southwest Festival. The company launched a SXSW-specific hookup website, "Bang with SXSW", and plastered the festival's walls with raunchy advertisements. SXSW organizers tore the posters down, drawing more press coverage and fueling the controversy.[17][18][19]

Starting as a simple Facebook web app in January 2013, the mobile app version of DOWN launched on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store in May 2013.[20][21] Within weeks, the app was suddenly removed by Apple from the App Store.[22] By August 2013, the app was back up under its new rebranded name, "DOWN".[23]

Lawsuits and rebrand

Midway through 2013, Bang With Friends was sued by Zynga, the social network game maker who owned Words With Friends. Zynga claimed the trademark rights to the phrase "With Friends," threatening a lawsuit against Bang With Friends.[4][5] The companies decided to settle out of court under undisclosed terms and Bang with Friends rebranded to DOWN in late 2013.[23][24] The new name of the company is a reference to the casual American slang definition of "down," as used in the phrases "down to fuck" or to "get down," and was Hodge's way of moving the company away from "alienating people who may not want an app that says "bang" but are totally down otherwise."[15]

Along with the rebrand, they updated the dating app to remove the limit on connecting with Facebook friends and expanded users' reach to friends-of-friends.[15] DOWN then further expanded to location-based dating. This allowed users to connect with strangers nearby for a date or "get down" for something casual.[25]

At SXSW in 2014, DOWN co-founder & CEO Colin Hodge returned, this time invited, and headlined a discussion with Grindr founder and CEO Joel Simkhai titled "SXSW: From Stranger to Lover in One Swipe." The pair discussed the impact of social technology, the evolution of mobile dating, and how creating apps like Grindr and DOWN changed their own dating lives.[26][27]

Sales and growth as DOWN

In 2016, after organically growing to 5 million users, DOWN was acquired by a Singaporean tech company named Paktor.[16][28] During 2017, DOWN disclosed it made $1 million in annual revenue from in-app purchases.[16] As part of Paktor, DOWN eventually was rolled into M17 Entertainment in the merger between Paktor and 17LIVE, one of the world's top livestreaming companies.[28]

In 2018, the company was sold by M17 Entertainment, reverting ownership of the company to Hodge and an original team member.[29][30]

In 2021, both revenue and the number of users rose over 100% for DOWN, a top 20 dating app the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store in the United States as of October 2021. The app claims over 8 million users worldwide.[31][32]

Operation

DOWN's navigation differs from the typical right or left swipe-binary commonly used by other dating apps. Instead, users can swipe up for serious dating, swipe down for casual hookups, or swipe left to pass on and continue to the next profile. You can also swipe right to view previously seen profiles, so users can revise their choices, a feature not common in other dating apps.[3][25]

DOWN is available on both the App Store and Google Play, with ratings above 4.0 on both platforms. Users can register or sign in with Apple or Google Login, Phone number login via SMS, or Facebook.[25]

Features

The app's premium subscription allows users access to features like the ability to view which users viewed your profile, the ability to change your location to anywhere in the world, unlimited profile views, a "flirt" feature where users can directly message prospective partners before a match, and the ability to see when your match has read your message.[25]

In April 2021, DOWN launched Snap Match, a quick matching feature, that allows users to find virtual connections almost instantly, around the world.[31][32]

References

  1. 1 2 "DOWN Hookup: A Wild Dating App – Apple App Store". 8 June 2023.
  2. ↑ "DOWN Dating App: Date Near Me – Google Play Store".
  3. 1 2 Pillar, Ken (2 May 2021). "Best Privacy Dating Apps of 2021 (Android)". LeapDroid.
  4. 1 2 Cutler, Kim-Mai (September 30, 2013). "Bang With Friends To Change Names After Trademark Settlement With Zynga". TechCrunch. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  5. 1 2 Shontell, Alyson (July 31, 2013). "Zynga Says You're Not Allowed To Bang 'With Friends,' Sues Sex App But Neglects To Tell The Founders". Business Insider. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  6. 1 2 Tiku, Nitasha (May 23, 2013). "Meet the 28-Year-Old CEO of Bang With Friends". Gawker. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  7. 1 2 Heaney, Katie (January 28, 2013). "Say They Just Want To Spread The Love". Buzzfeed News. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  8. 1 2 Smith, Kevin (April 2, 2013). "The Anonymous Co-Founder Of 'Bang With Friends' Explains How He's Helped 200,000 Couples Connect". Business Insider. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  9. ↑ Camm, J. (January 23, 2013). "BangWithFriends.Com Allows You to Anonymously See Which Facebook Friends Want to Bang You". BroBible. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  10. ↑ Heaney, Katie (January 24, 2013). "The App That Shows Which Of Your Facebook Friends Are "Down To Bang"". Buzzfeed News. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  11. 1 2 3 Klassen, Anna (January 29, 2013). "Bang With Friends: Facebook Sex App Creators Talk Controversial Product". The Daily Beast. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  12. 1 2 Colbert, Stephen (February 7, 2013). ""Bang With Friends" App". The Colbert Report. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  13. ↑ Swan, Rachel (November 27, 2013). "Down Is Up: Bang with Friends, Rebanged". SF Weekly. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  14. ↑ Kumparak, Greg (April 29, 2013). "Bang With Friends Is Reportedly Raising $1M To Help You Bang With Friends". TechCrunch. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  15. 1 2 3 Constine, Josh (October 25, 2013). "Bang With Friends Rebrands As 'Down' To Match You With Friends Of Friends By Hotness". TechCrunch. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  16. 1 2 3 Roof, Katie (January 20, 2017). "Casual dating app Down acquired by Paktor". TechCrunch. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  17. ↑ Stern, Joanna (March 10, 2013). "At SXSW, New Sex Apps Focus on that Other Type of Festival Networking". ABC News. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  18. ↑ Chaey, Christina (March 13, 2013). "Bang With Friends' "Bang With SXSW" Gets Banned In Austin But Still Hooks Up". FastCompany. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  19. ↑ Garun, Natt (March 13, 2013). "Notorious Facebook hook up app invades SXSW to the chagrin of … SXSW". digitaltrends. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  20. ↑ Vanhemert, Kyle (May 8, 2013). "Bang With Friends, Facebook's "Klout For Banging," Goes Mobile". Fast Company. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  21. ↑ Kumparak, Greg (May 8, 2013). "Bang With Friends Goes Mobile, Launches On iPhone And Android". TechCrunch. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  22. ↑ Sutart, Hunter (May 20, 2013). "'Bang With Friends' Booted From Apple App Store". HuffPost. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  23. 1 2 Taylor, Victoria (August 30, 2013). "Bang With Friends returns to App Store as 'Down'". New York Daily News. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  24. ↑ Soper, Taylor (September 30, 2013). "Bang with Friends sex app reaches settlement with Zynga over 'With Friends' trademark". GeekWire. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  25. 1 2 3 4 "DownApp Review". Hookupscout.com. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  26. ↑ Messer, Kate X. (March 7, 2014). "Gay Place Column". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  27. ↑ Shontell, Alyson (March 12, 2014). "Casual Sex App DOWN Threw A Brilliantly Cheap Party At South By Southwest". Business Insider. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  28. 1 2 Shazni, M. (February 8, 2017). "Paktor Acquires 3 Other Dating App Startups, Sets Up What Might Be The World's First Dating Lab". Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  29. ↑ Shu, Catherine (May 22, 2020). "M17 sells its online dating assets to focus on live streaming". TechCrunch. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  30. ↑ Brooks, Amber (February 5, 2019). "The DOWN Dating App Gets Down to Business & Grows Organic Traffic by Facilitating Discreet Hookups". DatingNews.com. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  31. 1 2 Gibson, Mary J. (April 17, 2021). "Down Hookup App's New "Snap Match" Feature Gets You Virtual Connections Almost Instantly!". datingXP. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  32. 1 2 Whitlock, Dominic (May 19, 2021). "DOWN Introduces Random International Connections Feature 'Snap Match'". Global Dating Insights. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
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