The S’More app is trying to connect potential dates. It’s an app that encourages social distancing and emphasizes getting to know a date before meeting up. The fairly new app lets users communicate over video first.
Everyday users are suggested five profiles. At first, there are no photos of these users. The connection is all based on interests, education, and hobbies. Instead of photos to swipe left or right on, S’More provides information on the user.
Now, photos and more information start to reach users after sending a “wink.” The more two users wink, the more photos and information they see. “The greatest challenge is resetting expectations for consumers,” founder Cohen-Aslatei told Tech Crunch. “We know that the swiping mechanism largely doesn’t work, but we’re providing another option which is, if you truly want to get to know someone, suspend physical judgement before you decide if you like them.”
S’More stands for “something more.” The app is a response to what some users find lacking about dating apps. S’More aims to make the experience a little more personal, and a little less soulless. “The greatest challenge is resetting expectations for consumers,” Cohen-Aslatei added. “We know that the swiping mechanism largely doesn’t work, but we’re providing another option which is, if you truly want to get to know someone, suspend physical judgement before you decide if you like them.”
There actually is something more about S’More. For years and years, men and women have floated the idea of rating people on apps. If someone misbehaves or acts out of line, users can rate them. The motivation was to create a safer online dating space. Say, if someone sends an unsolicited pic, which is all too common on the major dating apps, a user can leave a bad rating, flagging the user to S’More. The app is trying to create a friendlier environment, which is not a priority for most major dating apps.
The app originally began beta testing in Boston and Washington DC before expanding to New York and beyond. To sign up and to combat bats and spam, users must take a selfie to prove their identity. S’More does take more steps to provide, as the name of the app says, “something more.”
Something else different about S’More: the app has its own Instagram show. A recent episode featured Alexis Waters and Raven Gates, known for The Bachelor, and Bachelor in Paradise. They discuss their dating experiences, provide tips to fellow daters. It’s a show that keeps things light and jokey. There are over 50 episodes with a diverse group of interviewees, participating in games and answering questions. “Have you ever gotten drunk and called an ex?” is the kind of question that gets asked. The conversations are light but sometimes comically frank. Users can send in questions for the Instagram series.
S’More brands itself as the “the anti-superficial relationship app,” drawing comparisons to the hit Netflix show, Love is Blind, in which people talked before even seeing each other. The app wants to prioritize personality, not looks. S’More has been covered by Elle, Forbes, ABC, NBC, and The View. While it’s not the best time to be dating and meeting people during the pandemic, S’More is providing a safer option during these times.
