He launched an app called Bang With Friends – now he’s got something sweeter planned for Asia

Candy, because it’s sweet – get it? Image by Barbtrk

There’s not much subtlety in a dating app called Bang With Friends. There’s only a little bit more with an app called Down – as in, “you down?” But how about one called Sweet?

After mastering the world of the casual hookup app, one American entrepreneur is taking things in a more endearing direction – and he has his sights set on Asia.

Be sweet

“I’ve learned a ton since launching Down three years ago,” says Colin Hodge. After taking his first swing at a dating app with Bang With Friends, Colin launched Down in an attempt to cut through the awkwardness around hookup culture. And it was a hit.

In some ways it’s the anti-Down or anti-Tinder.

“We’ve had amazing growth for Down in that time, now boasting over 3.3 million users worldwide, with about half in the US.”

The premise behind Down is pretty straightforward: no games. It’s the epitome of a casual dating app, and it managed to tap into a desire felt by millions. Even now, three years after its launch, the app is adding about 100,000 new users a month, Colin says.

But hookup culture only gets you so far. If you’re looking for real growth, especially beyond the world of no-strings-attached college-aged Americans, you’ll need something a little more wholesome. A little more romantic. A little more… sweet?

Those are some Sweet screenshots.

“Sweet ensures that women feel special and not just part of a “meat market” like in other apps, because after all, we all want to feel a bit sweeter every day,” says Colin.

Sweet is, in some ways, the anti-Down or anti-Tinder. On casual dating services, women are bombarded with endless messages of “What’s up” and “How r u” and “U down?” – or even offensive messages and explicit images – from the anonymous, horny masses. But with Sweet, users are encouraged to make contact with a personalized, thought-out compliment.

The main feature of the app is “Sweet Likes.” If a user simply “likes” another’s profile, it’s possible to start a chat. But if they Sweet Like – which can only be done by sending a personalized message – they jump to the top of the queue.

“A woman receives a Sweet Like and it tells her exactly why the guy or girl was so interested. – maybe she wrote something witty in her description, maybe he likes a photo of her, maybe they went to the same university,” says Colin.

Expanding into Asia