Match, the flagship offering of Match Group’s dating app and website portfolio, said today that it has hired Ayni Raimondi as its new vp of brand.
Raimondi previously held senior marketing roles at Airbnb, where she spent more than six years focusing on brand activations and partnerships, and Everlane, where she helped drive the brand’s commitment to sustainability and transparency.
“At this moment when we’re all experiencing so much change, the need for human connection is as apparent now as ever before,” Raimondi told Adweek.
As Match celebrates its 25th anniversary as a company, “it’s the perfect time to bring the brand to life in new and exciting ways,” she added. “We will be pushing the cultural conversation around relationships forward, and I’ll be looking to partner with top strategic and creative talent for diverse executions as we continue to focus on celebrating and supporting singles looking for connection.”
At Match, Raimondi will lead the next phase of the brand, looking to reach new audiences by tailoring its products to the needs of today’s users. So far this year, the brand has added several features to the app to support “high-intent” pandemic-era daters, like in-app video dates, prompts to steer the conversation toward serious topics and personalized information on social distancing practices.
“As the pioneer of the dating space, Match is once again in a unique position to shape the future of dating in light of the changes this past year,” said Match CMO Ayesha Gilarde in a statement. In her new role, Raimondi will “help amplify our mission of helping singles find meaningful connections, and to lead Match into the future,” Gilarde added.
Match is one of eight dating services owned by the Match Group. The portfolio also includes Tinder, Hinge and OkCupid, as well as Meetic in the European market and Pairs, which operates in Japan, Taiwan and Korea. The company’s second-quarter earnings report showed that average subscribers had increased by 11% this year over last—indicating that more people are opting for online or app-based dating during the Covid-19 pandemic.