Overview
Joe & Hailey is an innovative AI driven dating app that matches users based on genuine conversational compatibility rather than superficial swiping. Our primary mission was to acquire highly skeptical female users. To build trust, I spearheaded a campaign showcasing the 100% authentic story of the app's first officially matched couple.
The Challenge Romance vs The True Crime Asethetic
To win over female users, the campaign needed to exude a romantic, cinematic vibe. However, we faced two critical roadblocks
The real couple refused to show their full faces. Standard anonymous interviews usually rely on heavy shadows or blurring, which often results in a dark, "true crime" documentary atmosphere the exact opposite of a fluttering romance.
Story Discovery
Through in-depth pre interviews, I discovered the couple's genuine romantic hook: their first date was at a Manhwa Cafe, where they were so absorbed in conversation they never even opened a book. Based on this, I pivoted the entire campaign's visual aesthetic around this "Book Cafe" theme.
Reference Research & Visual Strategy
I extensively analyzed standard dating shows, but hiding faces instantly killed the romantic mood. To solve this, I studied various "anonymous interview" framing techniques. I drew heavy inspiration from the cinematic and intimate trailer of the GL (Girls' Love) dating show "Your Romance" (너의 연애). The goal was to maintain a dating-show vibe but elevate it with a cinematic, intimate aesthetic.
Reference Research & Visual Strategy
I extensively analyzed standard dating shows, but hiding faces instantly killed the romantic mood. To solve this, I studied various "anonymous interview" framing techniques. I drew heavy inspiration from the cinematic and intimate trailer of the GL (Girls' Love) dating show "Your Romance" (너의 연애). The goal was to maintain a dating-show vibe but elevate it with a cinematic, intimate aesthetic.
Creative Problem Solving (Prop Design as a Shield)
To solve both the IP issue at the Manhwa Cafe and the need for "objects" to hide their faces, I came up with a unified solution: I illustrated and designed physical "Joe & Hailey" branded book covers. By wrapping existing books with these custom designs, the couple could playfully hide their faces behind our brand assets. This solved the copyright problem, protected their privacy, and naturally integrated the AI brand into the real-world narrative.
Post Production
I edited the raw footage into fast-paced 15 second ads and carousel sets, pairing the warm, cinematic visuals with curiosity-inducing typography optimized for Gen Z.
Results & Impact
The campaign turned formidable creative and legal hurdles into an explosive growth driver, proving that authentic storytelling and meticulous art direction outperform generic ads.
For the first time, Joe & Hailey surpassed 1M Monthly Active Users.
Viral Acquisition of Female Users: The lovely, cinematic narrative strongly resonated with the target demographic, resulting in a continuous upward trend in female user acquisition.
Achieved a highly efficient CPR of $7.0. The primary interview asset recorded a phenomenal Day 7 Retention Rate of 6.31%, significantly outperforming standard ads (1.5% - 3% average).
