BLK Dating App Campaign Urges Black Men To Smile More

Today is World Smile Day and to celebrate Match Group’s dating and social app for Black singles, BLK, is launching a new campaign, #BLKMenSmile, aimed at encouraging Black men to embrace their joy and express their full selves in dating profile pictures.  

The campaign addresses a key finding by the app: over 70% of Black men don’t smile in their profile photos, “often due to societal standards, perceptions of masculinity, and cultural pressures that can stifle the authentic expression of joy.”   

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The campaign features a brand video and imagery, digital partnerships, exclusive in-app stickers, and a call-to-action pledge encouraging Black men to smile in their profile pictures. 

BLK is partnering with Express Yourself Black Man, a digital platform committed to showcasing positive Black male expression, mental health, and cultural empowerment. BLK says the collaboration will help amplify the reach of #BLKMenSmile by sharing the campaign’s content, encouraging their communities to participate, and sparking broader conversations around Black men’s joy, self-love, and expression.  

“The #BLKMenSmile campaign is about challenging the norms that hold Black men back from expressing their joy,” said Jonathan Kirkland, Head of Brand & Marketing at BLK. “We want to show that a smile isn’t just an act of positivity — it’s a powerful expression of self-love, confidence, and authenticity.”  

The effort was created in collaboration with agency Arxna, who conceptualized the campaign. 

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