Tinder and Peacock Partner to Launch New “Horror Movies” Interest In-App and Host Private Date Night Screenings to Help Daters Find their Boos as Nearly Half of Daters Agree an Interest in Horror can Signal Compatibility

LOS ANGELES /PRNewswire/ — Just in time for Halloween, Tinder and Peacock are launching a new way for daters to find a boo. After seeing a 42% increase in users talking about scary movies on their Tinder bios, “Horror Movies” will now officially be available as an Interest that can be added to Tinder profiles.

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Based on this trend, Peacock and Tinder surveyed singles and found that horror may be the way to daters’ hearts with nearly two-thirds (63%) of respondents agreeing that watching horror movies together is a great date activity. And almost half (49%) agreed that a shared interest in horror movies can indicate a deeper compatibility between partners. It seems those that scream together stay together.

Horror reigns supreme.
Horror (69%) was the second-favorite genre to watch on a date, just behind comedy (71%), with respondents 1.5x more likely to choose a horror film over a rom-com (44%). The responses show that the way to our hearts is more Michael Myers than Nancy Meyers. Literally. Halloween took the top spot for horror movie franchises to watch with a date followed by Leatherface (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) and everyone’s favorite evil doll (Chucky). Rounding out the list are The Purge and Saw in the fourth and fifth slots, respectively.

Fans can find these top horror franchises and more in a new dedicated “For You and Your Boo” date night collection starting Oct 5. Peacock is home to more than 500 Halloween Horror titles.

Love is in the scare.
Respondents felt that the greatest benefits of watching a horror or scary movie with a date were creating an opportunity to get physically closer/cuddle (51%), sharing a thrilling experience (46%), enjoying a sense of excitement and adrenaline (46%), and breaking the ice in a fun and unconventional way (43%). Now that’s what we call gore-play.

Third time’s the chill.
While 74% of respondents said that they’d be open to seeing a horror movie on the first date (aka love at first fright), it turns out the third date is the most common for watching a horror movie together. Though 33% of respondents also said that the date number didn’t necessarily matter — it seems anytime is a good time to scream someone off of their feet.

Looking for a boo.
Singles have been taking to Tinder to find a plus-one for a spooky binge with mentions of “scary movie” (+42%) and “spooky movie” (+204%)¹ spiking on Tinder profile bios during the month of October. To give these users a new way to connect this Boo Season, Tinder is introducing a new “Horror Movies” Interest badge to the app that can be added to their profiles.

Here’s how users can add the new Horror Movies Interest to their profile:

• Open Tinder and tap the Profile icon
• Tap on the pencil icon to edit your profile
• Scroll down to Interest and search for Horror Movies
• Tap to add it to your profile

In addition to giving daters the opportunity to proudly state their horror fandom, Tinder users will also be eligible for an exclusive Peacock offer in-app available from Oct 4 to Oct 31.

Exclusive Screamings
To help singles share in the scares IRL, Tinder and Peacock are also hosting the ultimate horror movie date night in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago on none other than Friday, Oct 13. Tinder users will be able to RSVP for their city’s scary soiree through in-app notifications on Tinder beginning Oct 4. 

Peacock and Match Group, parent company of Tinder, announced a broad partnership earlier this year to leverage Peacock’s programming and Match Group’s digital technology to bring people together and make meaningful connections. And now, they’re offering daters everything they need to get through Boo Season this year.

*Methodology
An online survey was conducted in Sept 2023 to understand the preferences and perceptions of U.S. residents regarding dating and horror film choices. Insights were gathered on the dating dynamics, horror film preferences, and the interplay between these aspects among 1,000 U.S. participants.

About Halloween Horror
NBCUniversal is bringing “Halloween Horror” to life across NBCUniversal’s portfolio of businesses and brands, including Universal Pictures, Universal Destinations & Experiences, Peacock, SYFY, TODAY, USA, and more. Universal Pictures will debut two new Blumhouse films, The Exorcist: Believer on Oct 6 exclusively in theaters and Five Nights at Freddy’s on Oct 27 in theaters and streaming on Peacock. Season 3 of the hit-series Chucky returns to SYFY and USA on Oct 4 and will be available next day on Peacock. Throughout September and October, our global theme parks are bringing NBCUniversal’s iconic horror brands, including The Exorcist: Believer, Five Nights at Freddy’s, Chucky, The Purge, Universal Monsters and more, to guests at the world’s premier Halloween event, Halloween Horror Nights. To learn more about Halloween Horror at NBCUniversal, visit nbcuniversal.com.

About Peacock
Peacock is NBCUniversal’s premium streaming service providing audiences a singular, unmatched content destination. As one of the most complete streaming products on the market, Peacock offers exclusive breakout Original series; more than 8,000 hours of live sports; hit movies right after theaters from Universal Pictures, Focus Features, DreamWorks Animation and Illumination; next-day access to all new shows from NBC and Bravo; fan-favorite library content; daily live news; as well as live channels from brands including Hallmark and WWE. Built on the foundation of NBCUniversal with a spirit that is all Peacock, the platform delivers for its audiences with innovative technology, creative partnerships, and entertainment that is truly entertaining.

About Tinder
Launched in 2012, Tinder is the world’s most popular app for meeting new people and has been downloaded more than 530 million times. The app is available in 190 countries and 45+ languages. More than half of all users are 18-25 years old. In 2022, Tinder was named one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company.

¹ Tinder internal data

SOURCE Peacock

SAN DIEGO /PRNewswire/ — Today, Wyzr Group LLC announces the launch of Wyzr Friends, a smarter, safer (and free) activity-based Friendship App connecting adults with shared interests online and in-person. Imagine having “go-to” friends for last minute concert tickets when your significant other is not available or not interested in the event, a spontaneous meetup for drinks or coffee, or a Sunday morning hike. The difference between Wyzr Friends and other social apps is that Wyzr Friends is not for dating and not geared towards Gen Z users, but instead connects adults in their 40s, 50s, and 60s for activities and friendships. Additionally, the iconic Andrew Gold song “Thank You for Being a Friend” which opens the App is the perfect fit. “The estate of Andrew Gold is pleased that ‘Thank You for Being a Friend’ continues to be a part of our culture via innovative uses of technology!”

Along with core features like matching and chatting, Wyzr Friends has introduced proprietary Friend Blast and Carpool functions. With Friend Blast, members can make scheduled or impromptu plans with select matches with one click. Members can organize gatherings (like a game of pickleball or trivia night), or simply catch up with friends effortlessly. Wyzr Friends takes eco-consciousness to the next level with its unique Carpool feature (Wyzr Ride), which allows members to select their date, time and destination and ride together for free (to/from a sporting event, concert, or shopping). It’s a win-win for your wallet and the environment.

Unlike other singularly focused friendship apps, Wyzr Friends is for Singles and Couples. Whether you are single, in a relationship or just friends, you can meet like-minded people on the App. “We provide members with the best possible connections by matching them based upon shared interests, age range and location” says co-founder Carolyn Kelly. “By using our proprietary Health & Wellness Wheel, members can also connect to achieve mutual health goals, including physical, mental, financial and spiritual.”

A key safety feature of Wyzr Friends is ID Verification. “Safety and security are our top priorities” says co-founder Taylor J. “Integrated ID verification ensures members are connecting with verified users (their profile matches their government ID). This is especially important for adults over 50, who are frequent targets of online scams.”

Wyzr Friends makes it easy to find real connections and have new experiences in the digital age—it’s a solution for adults later in life to enhance their social lives and stay engaged. Premium features such as Friend Blast and Carpool are free to members who register by December 31, 2023.

About Wyzr Friends:  Wyzr Friends is a smarter, safer (and free) activity-based friendship app for adult singles and couples. Available now on Apple & Google Play https://onelink.to/wyzrfriends in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Ireland, Philippines and Singapore. Wyzr Friends redefines the way adults connect, share adventures, and share a ride. For more information, please visit: https://vimeo.com/870942209

SOURCE Wyzr Group, LLC

A recent study conducted by Ohio State University suggests that using artificial intelligence (AI) to help write messages to friends may have negative consequences on relationships. The research found that when participants discovered that their friend had used AI assistance or received help from another person to compose a message, they perceived less effort being put into the relationship. This perception not only affected the message itself but also had broader implications. Participants reported feeling less satisfied with their relationships and experienced increased uncertainty about where they stood with their friends.

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Interestingly, the study revealed that negative effects were observed even when participants learned that their friend had received assistance from another human. This suggests that people value the personal effort and investment put into maintaining relationships, rather than relying on external aids.

As AI chatbots like ChatGPT gain popularity, the issue of how to use them appropriately becomes more complex. The study involved 208 adults who were instructed to write messages to a fictional friend named Taylor, who then responded with a message that was either AI-assisted, assisted by another person, or solely written by Taylor. Participants who received AI-assisted replies rated them as less appropriate and improper, leading to decreased satisfaction and increased uncertainty about the friendship.

The study’s lead author, Bingjie Liu, emphasizes the importance of sincerity and authenticity in relationships. While most people may not disclose their use of AI to craft messages, Liu suggests that as AI technology becomes more prevalent, individuals may unknowingly question the authenticity of messages, potentially harming relationships.

Ultimately, the study highlights the value of putting in personal effort and avoiding shortcuts in maintaining meaningful connections. Technology should not be used solely for convenience; sincerity and authenticity remain fundamental in fostering strong and fulfilling relationships.

Journal Link: Journal of Social and Personal Relationships

https://www.newswise.com/articles/ai-can-help-write-a-message-to-a-friend-but-don-t-do-it?sc=lwhn&user=10022176