What RAW does
RAW solves common online-dating problems like scammers and сatfishers through daily unfiltered photo updates on the app’s dual camera feature. No polished profiles— only raw, authentic real-life moments.
The Current Landscape
RAW conducted a survey among three thousand Gen Z New Yorkers. A surprising 50% of users shared negative experiences, with a staggering 82% admitting to being ghosted at least once. Additionally, over 78% of Gen Zers experienced online dating burnout. Ghosting affected 43% of users, and 52% reported encountering catfishing. All of this really drives home just how crucial it is to rethink the online dating experience the sooner the better.
Company Birth Story
RAW is created by a female-led team from across the tech industry, inspired by their own frustrations on dating apps, set out to create a new, different product for women, by women. This prompted reimagining the whole domain and landed them on a vision: dating rooted in authenticity and safety, where every swipe, every match, and every conversation is real.
The Solution
RAW is the only dating app that requires a new photo every day to continue swiping. The arrangement prompts focus on the visceral rather than filling out bios or answering prompts. The posting time varies daily, keeping the experience exciting and unpredictable.
In the ongoing effort to combat toxic behavior in online dating, RAW has introduced the 'Respect Meter’ feature. It empowers users to assess and rate each other's communication styles and behavior patterns as they navigate their dating journey. RAW users' profiles feature lists of their red, green, and beige flags as reported by other daters. The Respect Meter definitely isn't there to promote judging or labeling people. Users can’t manipulate the rating, and the flags are selected from the app’s own list of options.
To prevent ghosting, RAW enforces a limit on the number of unanswered conversations a user has. When they reach the limit and want to message someone new, they'll need to go and text back in one of the old chats or uncrush someone first to not keep people in limbo.
This week RAW popped up with its new Live Activity feature. Now, all users get their randomly-timed live nudges to snap and share their unfiltered pics all at the same time. Everyone has one minute to join the fray. It basically brings back flash mobs for dating—unpredictable and spontaneous.
To incentivize the feature use, RAW is giving everyone using it a profile booster, an extra push for them. By fostering this shared experience, RAW is building a community that values authenticity over artifice in an effort to grow enough to make the impact with its approach.
A Customer Story
Amir Henley (@tiktokamirr), a Providence-based social media professional, who not only scored a Premium account but found a new romance on RAW. "This guy, he lives two hours away from me and drives two hours every weekend just to see me and hang out with me for a couple of minutes. This is literally the man of my dreams. Shot-out to RAW, if it was not for me downloading this app, I would have never found this guy! I'm just so happy!" recounts Amir, later adding: "Us gays are having trouble finding dates, because all of our dating apps are hookup oriented. But not RAW. More people need to know about this app!"
A founder quote
"We took a deep dive into the world of dating apps just to figure out what's actually working. We drew from our own experiences with these apps, but what really fueled the fire for creating RAW were all those 'dating app stories' we heard from people on Reddit, TikTok and other social media," - says Marina Anderson, co-founder of RAW.
Stay RAW!
RAW Dating App is available for download on the App Store and Google Play today.