Latest news with #Woodwork
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Grindr CEO talks app's new telehealth service, evolving user base
Dating app Grindr (GRND) missed first quarter earnings estimates while raising its full-year revenue guidance this week. Grindr CEO George Arison sits down with Josh Lipton to speak about more about the platform's print, Grindr's evolving demographic, and its expansion to a telehealth service called Woodwork. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Asking for a Trend here. Grinder reporting first quarter earnings yesterday, missing on revenue, but raising its full-year guidance, and here to break down that report is Grinder CEO George Arison. George, it is great to see you. So let's talk about this quarter, George. So you did report first quarter revenue. Looks like it missed expectations there, though you raised your forecast for full year revenue growth, it looks like, and adjusted EBITDA margins. So so what are you seeing in the business, George? What gave you the confidence to raise those financial targets? Yeah, thanks for having me. We had a really awesome quarter in Q1. Uh, results were really strong. We grew 25%. EBITDA was over 43%. So really happy with how the quarter went. Um, we don't guide on a quarter by quarter basis. We only guide for the full year because I don't think you should be managing a business um, by quarter, um, but rather for the long term. Uh, and we had been testing a bunch of things in Q1 that were meant to help us drive revenue this year, and some of those results came in pretty strong. So that that helped us raise guidance up by two percentage points. Uh, and additionally, um, we recently started to release our new product called right now to a lot more people. Uh, we launched it to about 15 US cities in March and are adding more um, over the next few weeks and starting to monetize that product a little bit more than we had expected. We had initially planned to monetize it in 2026, but we're going to start doing that in 2025. So that also helped with the raise and in guidance. And George, you know, investors have a lot of questions about the consumer right now, their health, their resilience, George. You have an interesting line of sight there. How does the consumer look to you? Yeah, I get asked this question all the time and I have, I don't have a good answer because uh we actually have not really experienced any negative impact from any economic challenges with our users uh at all. Now there are some differences with our users. They come to Grinder for fun, joyful experiences, not for economic issues or for politics. And even if things are bad, um they still need that outlay of doing something fun and enjoyable. Um and so from that perspective, I think we're pretty protected. Uh and then secondly, our, you know, generally speaking, gay and by men, which is like the overwhelming majority of Grindr users, are um more protected, I think, even in a bad economic environment. Um they generally have high disposable income, probably more savings, um more graduate degrees, etc. So I think even if the economy goes badly, they'll be generally protected. So we have no view into anything negative right now. Things are going really well with our user base. That that's interesting, George. So I was going to ask you who is the Grinder demo in terms, George, of broadly age and income and whether that has sort of, you know, evolved over time, George. It certainly has evolved. Um vast majority of Grindr users are gay and bi men. Um I think if you were to go to Grindr in 2009 or 2010 when it first launched and when I was using it a lot more because I was not a married dad at that point, um we had a lot more um just gay men versus today where we have a lot more bi men as well. I think that's one of the biggest shifts over the last decade is people being much more comfortable saying that they're bi. And so a higher percentage of our users are saying that they're bi. But we still are fundamentally a product for gay and bi men. That's what we target and that's what we know really well. From the age demographics, Grindr has been very successful at getting younger people post them turning 18, because we are an 18 and only app, to come into Grindr and become users. Um that's probably because when you first come out and go to college or finish college, being around older gay men is something you want as well, because you kind of learn what it's like to be gay from them. Um and so I think that's probably driven allows us to kind of bring in the 18 plus cohort as they become of age into the app. And then secondly, we are a community. Like that's probably the biggest place to find other people like you um in the world for any single gay individual. And so being part of that community is is really critical for a lot of people. And I think that helps us with younger users as well. We probably do have some opportunity in being able to keep our users longer in the app as they get older, right? So they kind of reach that 35 or 40-year-old cohort. We probably don't get as much engagement from them as um we would want. Uh partly because we don't do as good of a job in dating features um versus more immediacy features. And so one of the big things we're working through now, and that's probably more for 2026 versus 2025 in terms of when it comes into market, is features that will help our users with finding their long-term partners. One of the things we're learning about our demographic is that a lot more of the people in our cohort want to be in a monogamous relationship over the long term versus used to be the case 10 or 20 years ago. And so we need to help them find their partners um as they seek them. And George, let's talk about what's new at Grindr too. Tell me about woodwork, which I guess, George, is this new telehealth service. Walk me through it. Yep. So Woodwork is a completely new new thing that we launched. It's uh we are building what we call the gayborhood in your pocket, um where we offer a lot of the, we can offer a lot of the things that happen in the gayborhood to everybody on their phones. Um and this is our first gayborhood expansion opportunity that kind of takes us out of the core dating and social connections set of products that we've offered before into something new. Um we are starting out with an ED medication that you can buy um from us in partnership with our partner called Open Loop. Um and so far it's only available in two locations. Um we very much think of woodwork as a startup inside Grindr. So think of something as like zero to one. It's an angel round funded company at this point. Um and so we're not really going to be giving a lot of updates on woodwork in the immediate term while the business kind of learns what it should do and how to do it best, because we do want to give them the time to do that. But I think it's a huge opportunity. You know, 30% of users on Grindr have used ED medications. Um 60% have told us that they've concerned them. And so from that point of view, offering ED medications and later on other additional products that are kind of tangential to that um is a huge opportunity for us. And obviously, our whole concept is we use Grindr, the app, as a primary distribution engine for the woodwork brand, and that would drive, you know, CAC significantly down because we wouldn't be spending all this money on advertising. And then it's also a product built by gay people for gay people. So if you go to you'll see that the branding is very different than everybody else. And that's also I think something our users would very much appreciate. George, it is always good to see you and to have you on the show. Thank you for joining us. Thank you very much. I really appreciate it.
Fast Company
06-05-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
‘Users want it': Grindr is now selling erectile dysfunction drugs
Grindr is expanding its scope in a way that is entirely on brand. On Tuesday, the company unveiled Woodwork, a telehealth service that will help users access medication for erectile dysfunction. Currently available to Grindr users in Illinois and Pennsylvania, Woodwork will expand nationwide throughout the rest of 2025, according to the company. Grindr CEO George Arison says the company performed internal research that found more than a third of its users take erectile dysfunction drugs. 'That gave us a very clear opportunity,' he tells Fast Company in an exclusive, in-depth interview on how he's growing Grindr's scope. 'Users want it, but they're buying these products from companies that in no way speak to who they are.' With Woodwork, Grindr is working with telehealth provider OpenLoop to connect users to clinicians who will prescribe compounded versions of common erectile dysfunction drugs tadalafil (Cialis) or sildenafil (Viagra) that dissolve in the mouth. The company said OpenLoop clinicians have received inclusive care training and Grindr offers educational materials tailored to the LGBTQ community. 'There's a set of warnings [with Woodwork prescriptions] that are actually very specific to our users,' Arison says. 'I don't think most services like this would say, 'Do not take this medication with poppers.' We do.' Woodwork is Grindr's first foray into telemedicine, but it's part of a push from the company to add a host of features—including several powered by AI, like a chatbot for improving messages—to show that it can be more of a social network for LGBTQ users. Arison has called this his effort to make the app into a 'global gayborhood in your pocket.' In the past few months, Grindr has expanded its 'Right Now' feature (which lets users signal to each other that they're looking for a quick hookup) to 15 additional markets, including London, New York, Paris, and Chicago. Arison also told Fast Company he wants to add more standard dating features to the app to satisfy users who are looking for relationships. 'For our users' sake, we need to offer them better dating experiences and better dating features to satisfy their needs,' he says. In March, Grindr reported a 33% year-over-year increase in revenue in 2024. Its share price is up 70% over the past year. That's as companies behind more traditional dating apps—in particular Match Group—struggle, especially among younger users.
Associated Press
19-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Woodwork Amsterdam Founder Throws Light on Why Most Brand Content Feels the Same and How to Break Free
03/19/2025, Amsterdam, Netherlands // PRODIGY: Feature Story // Every day, audiences are bombarded with a relentless stream of brand messages. From sleek product unveilings to influencer-sponsored posts, social media feeds and digital platforms are drowning in a flood of indistinguishable content. The colors may change, and the logos might differ, yet, much of this content is just a rehashed version of what one has already seen. This saturation has a source: an industry-wide obsession with quantity over quality. With brands under pressure to maximize reach, creative originality has taken a backseat. The result of this is a marketing landscape where the real impact is sacrificed at the cost of efficiency, and brands struggle to differentiate themselves from the noise. The rise of artificial intelligence has only accelerated this trend. Automated content creation tools can churn out copy, images, and even videos at a pace one couldn't even imagine; an easier pathway for brands to flood the digital space. While AI offers clear advantages of speed, cost-effectiveness, and data-driven personalization, the main concern remains commoditizing creativity. Marvin Koppejan, founder and director of design agency Woodwork Amsterdam, sees this issue firsthand. 'I think for quick turnarounds, AI is a good tool,' he says. 'But when you prioritize speed over depth, you end up with the obvious—content that looks and feels the same. The technique becomes the purpose rather than the message itself. And that's when we lose the opportunity to create something that can truly resonate with the brand.' Woodwork Amsterdam Koppejan compares today's content landscape to a world where everyone relies on a microwave for meals. Sure, you get something fast, and it looks good enough. But it lacks the richness, the depth, and the story of a meal prepared by a chef who curates ingredients and lets flavors develop over time. The problem, he argues, isn't just AI. It is the mindset that values immediate results over the creative journey. 'Nowadays, both brands and marketing agencies want the end product—images, videos, etc.—as fast as possible,' he explains. 'If you take too many shortcuts, the final result will lack substance.' This rush for speed and convenience means that businesses are willing to compromise on their brand's identity. Logos are chosen from templates. Marketing campaigns borrow the same tired tropes. Branding, which should be an expression of a company's unique mission, is now being diluted into a sea of indistinguishable content. Woodwork Amsterdam approaches branding with a different mindset. Koppejan describes its role as that of a 'syrup' in a brand's overall campaign: an essence that seeps into every aspect, from advertising to visual identity. It strives to create a rich and cohesive message rather than a watered-down blend of generic ideas. This philosophy was exemplified in Woodwork's recent work on the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix project. The goal was not just to create visually stunning content but to craft a long-term strategic vision—one that utilized creative storytelling to cement the event's identity as a premier global spectacle. Koppejan adds, 'We started this journey in 2023 but the job is far from over, in fact, we have continued this project for both 2024 and now 2025. We may have set the bar in 2023 creating some great content, a compelling story, and a strong brand presence, but now we are building upon that story taking into consideration the changing times of the sport. Finding new and exciting angles not only makes the content stand out but leads to an ever-evolving and truly timeless project.' Woodwork : Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Similarly, Woodwork is partnering with a cutting-edge rocket company in its early stages, tasked with developing fully reusable rockets. 'They're still in a very early stage of development,' says Koppejan. 'We support CEOs in realizing their own visions in a way that the whole world can grab on and join for the ride. In this scenario, we helped them visualize their long-term vision of cleaning up space and reaching the moon. We helped propel the company internally while also attracting investors and increasing market share.' This type of storytelling, using CGI and immersive experiences, allows brands to do more than just say what they are. One of the biggest challenges creative agencies face is helping businesses understand the real value of high-quality content. In an industry obsessed with cheap, fast, and easy solutions, companies often see content creation as a transaction—spend X amount, receive a video, a post, or an ad in return. Koppejan challenges this thinking. 'The question shouldn't just be, 'How much will this cost me?'' he says. 'It should be, 'What is the cost of true impact?' We often find that companies overstep the process. They look at a polished but generic template, think 'That looks professional,' and just go with it. The process isn't linear, and the cost of creativity and impact cannot always be neatly priced into hours or a fixed budget.' As per the founder, brands that invest in long-term creative strategies see returns that go beyond 'likes' and 'shares.' They build lasting emotional connections with their audience. Automation and the push for high-volume content at low costs may have made it easier than ever to create content, but the companies that truly want to stand out will be those that take the time to craft meaningful, visionary narratives. And that's something no algorithm can replicate.
