Bumble and Metallic Inc have enlisted various leading British artists, actors, athletes, entrepreneurs and activists, to launch their brand new campaign that shines a light on the representation of Black love.

It has been shown that more than half (53%) of Black people across the UK don’t see themselves represented in images of love in mainstream online spaces; this is not to mention the lack of representation that’s even higher amongst Black women (67%). Research done by the popular social app Bumble shows that more than 3 in 4 Black people in the UK (79%) think there is a lack of relatable images and stories about dating in Britain.

With this in mind, both Bumble and Metallic Inc have launched a really exciting campaign to help change these statistics around by calling on 30 well-known British voices to tell their real, honest and unscripted reflections on what love means to them. By focusing on the joy of Black love the initiative aims to diversify the narratives of the Black experiences highlighted in mainstream media – which is very much needed in this social climate!

The campaign is set to feature stories from model Jourdan Dunn, presenter Clara Amfo, Olympic GB boxer Nicola Adams, model and entrepreneur Leomie Anderson, spoken-word artist George the Poet, rapper MS Banks, comedian David Whitely, Vogue Director Vanessa Kingori, Gal-dem founder Liv Little, presenter AJ Odudu, sex and relationship expert Oloni and many more all interviewed by author Yomi Adegoke.

Grace Ladoja MBE, the co-founder of Metallic Inc commented; “It is important to celebrate Black love in all forms, from relationships to self-love and especially Black joy which is often excluded from the media or stereotyped. As Black Britons are from all different cultural backgrounds, it was essential to highlight what makes us unique and the culture that unifies us. I love the cast and their stories and the authenticity of this campaign.”

Naomi Walkland, the Head of Bumble UK & Ireland explained; “Growing up in London, I saw so little of myself reflected in images of love and relationships that I consumed. And when I did, it rarely represented the Black British experience. If this inspires just one young Black girl to feel empowered to make the first move then it is a step in the right direction.

At Bumble, we have a role to play in how our community, particularly millennials, think about love and relationships. Through this effort to document and amplify British Black Love stories, we hope to better represent the breadth of love in the UK. 

The Black community deserves to see themselves in images of love and joy and their love stories should be celebrated in mainstream spaces. This campaign is just the first step, and there is more work to be done, but together with amazing partners we hope to spark a necessary conversation.”