In branding as in dating, attraction gets you noticed—but only trust, consistency, and growth keep you from being ghosted.
If brands were on a dating app, most would get ghosted. Not because they’re unattractive, but because they’re boring, inconsistent, or simply not compatible.
The thought first struck me during a debate with the Gen Zers in the office about dating itself. Within minutes, words like ‘orbiting’, ‘breadcrumbing’, ‘rizz’, ‘benching’, and ‘love-bombing’ were being thrown around. It felt just like branding: too much jargon, not enough clarity.
Which raised the real question: what does it take to make someone swipe right?
I remember when Vodafone was struggling in India. The network was patchy, Jio was everywhere, and Airtel looked like the sensible choice. Everyone around me was switching, but I didn’t. I couldn’t. I had been with them since the days of Orange and Hutch.
Even today, after the rebrand to Vi, I still find myself saying Vodafone.
Was it irrational? Definitely. Was it loyalty? Absolutely. I wasn’t just using a SIM card. I was in love with the idea of Vodafone. (No pun intended)
But as dating expert Matthew Hussey puts it, love is about more than a spark. He breaks down relationships into four levels of dating. And if you map that to brands, the parallels are obvious.
Level 1: Attraction
Your profile picture moment
The first step is simple: get noticed. A sharp visual identity, a clear positioning, and a tone of voice that cuts through the noise – that is your profile picture moment. If your design is cluttered or your message sounds like everyone else’s, people won’t even stop scrolling, let alone swipe right.
Brands such as Zomato and The Ordinary get this. Zomato’s push notifications are witty, contextual, and read like that one friend who always knows how to make you laugh.
But attraction only takes you so far. If you start pinging me ten times a day with offers, you’re not being charming; you’re love-bombing. (Yes, the youth taught me that one too.) In plain English: you’re trying too hard.
Level 2: Connection
The first date test
Attraction may get you in the door, but connection decides if someone stays. This is where the experience has to match the promise.
Vodafone built that connection through storytelling. The pug, the Zoozoos, the seamless Hutch-to-Vodafone transition – they were sticky cultural moments. They reinforced a brand promise of friendliness, simplicity, and human connection.
Was the network always perfect? No. But the way Vodafone showed up was consistent, familiar, and felt personal. That outweighed the rational frustration of a dropped call, because the brand delivered on an emotional promise even when the functional one sometimes faltered.
Level 3: Commitment
Are we exclusive?
Commitment is the point where a brand shifts from “nice to have” to “part of my life”. It’s when a customer chooses you even though there are cheaper, shinier, or more convenient options around.
Commitment is built on two things: trust and consistency. When you reliably deliver what you promise, people stop weighing every new option against you. You become the default.
I recently came across a skincare brand called The Solved Skin, and I’d like to think I’m at Level 3 with them. Since my order arrived, they have consistently checked in, not just with generic “How did we do?” emails, but with thoughtful, symptom-specific follow-ups and advice on next steps. That kind of care builds confidence. It makes you feel less like a transaction and more like someone they’re invested in.
The danger, of course, is when brands start playing games. Overpromise and underdeliver. Shift personalities every quarter. Chase every trend without anchoring back to who you are. That’s when customers ghost. It’s rarely the lack of attraction that kills relationships; it’s the erosion of trust.
Level 4: Compatibility
Can we grow together?
Compatibility is the long game. It’s not just about liking each other today, but whether you can build a life together.
Apple is the classic example. Its ecosystem has grown as its users have grown: music, photos, work, health, and payments. That’s not a product; that’s compatibility. Which is why Apple users rarely leave. They don’t just like Apple. They live Apple.
Brands that fail to evolve, however, end up stuck in a situationship. Customers keep using them out of convenience, but there’s no real loyalty. They’re one better option away from walking out the door.
Which brings us back to my question: why would someone swipe right?
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: most brands won’t make it past the first date. They will either come off as needy, breadcrumb their audience, or get ghosted because they are not relatable.
So ask yourself: If my brand were a person
• Does it make a strong first impression?
• Does it create real connection?
• Does it inspire commitment?
• Can it grow with its audience?
Because brands, like relationships, aren’t built on clever jargon or flashy first impressions. They’re built on clarity, consistency, and the ability to evolve. In other words, you don’t just want your brand to get swiped right. You want it to be the one people stop swiping for.
Originally Published : https://www.afaqs.com/news/guest-article/if-your-brand-were-a-person-would-you-swipe-right-9681908
