Courtney Act crowned Tinder’s official Dating Queen in new Bridgerton-led campaign ‘Let Thy Swipe Season Begin’ via Akcelo and Amplify

Tinder has declared 2026 the “Year of Yearning”, launching a major integrated campaign, titled ‘Let Thy Swipe Season Begin’, developed by Akcelo and Amplify with Netflix ahead of the highly anticipated return of Bridgerton Season 4 Part 2.

As Bridgerton fandom reaches an all-time high, one thing is clear: romantic yearning is having a cultural moment, and it’s shaping how young Australians want to date. Tinder, the dating app that revolutionised how people meet, has partnered with Netflix to launch a major integrated campaign bringing Regency-era romance into the heart of Australia’s peak dating season.

The partnership is underpinned by new Tinder data, The Yearn Index, which debuts fresh research from young single Australians and reveals a major cultural shift – Gen Z aren’t chasing instant sparks, they’re craving anticipation, emotional tension and slow‑burn connection that underpins yearning.

Showing more than 3 in 4 Gen Z singles want to experience a stronger sense of “romantic yearning” in their relationships this year, while 81% believe that yearning plays an important role in early emotional connection.

This sentiment is perfectly mirrored in Bridgerton’s storytelling, which platforms the type of slow-burn romance and connection young Aussies are craving in their dating lives.

Yearning isn’t just good for the plot, data shows it could be good for the soul, as 74% of Gen Z singles feel more self-confident when there is a strong sense of yearning. Australians are taking this one step further, showing their real intentions from the get-go, with a 170% increase in mentions of yearn and 125% increase in mentions of slow-burn in Australian Tinder bios.

Says Tinder’s Dating Expert, Sera Bozza: “Yearning isn’t just fantasy or playing hard to get. It’s anticipation, emotional investment, and a bit of uncertainty that makes someone matter to you. Attraction needs space to breathe. When everything is instant, nothing feels special, and attraction needs something to miss.

“Physical chemistry is easy to find. Emotional tension is harder to build. Conversations, humour, and shared values are what make someone stick in your mind after the date ends.”

At the centre of the campaign is the creative platform “Let Thy Swipe Season Begin”, positioning Tinder as the catalyst for a new social season – where singles are encouraged to step into their own main-character moments, inspired by the romance, anticipation and slow-burn attraction celebrated in Bridgerton Season 4.

Bringing fantasy into the familiar, the campaign features a storytelling film that reimagines the feeling of meeting your date as a Bridgerton moment, with creators fueling the fandom through recreations and concepts around regency vs. modern dating.

Enter the Tinder Queen: Courtney Act is crowned Tinder’s official Dating Queen, bringing wit, authority and cultural flair to the role. Acting as the host of Tinder’s “social season,” Courtney introduces eligible singles to The Ton, announces the opening of swipe season, and anchors hero and social-first content throughout the campaign.

Says Courtney Act: “Dating should have a little drama, a little desire, and a delicious sense of anticipation. Whether it’s on Bridgerton, on Tinder, or on the stage, I’m all about letting attraction build, because the slow burn is always the most satisfying.”

Says Kristen Hardeman, Country Director at Tinder Australia: “Bridgerton isn’t just a global phenomenon, it’s a cultural moment. Partnering with Netflix allows us to meet singles right at the intersection of fantasy, romance and real-world dating. By bringing Bridgerton’s sense of anticipation, yearning and possibility into the world of Tinder, we’re reminding Aussies that modern dating can still feel exciting, intentional and full of sparks.”

Tinder’s Bridgerton partnership is designed to reignite dating culture among Gen Z and millennial Australians, blending the fantasy and yearning of the Bridgerton universe with Tinder’s modern, low-pressure approach to connection.

Featured creators and talent part of the campaign include: Courtney Act; Bernie Moreira; Jake Vella; Tyron Dominic Porras (Dom Ski); Kylie Garbough; Hallie Newman (hallie & maddi); Maddison Newman (hallie & maddi).

Marketing and Communications – Tinder
Brand & Media Partner – Netflix
Creative Agencies – Akcelo and This Is Amplify
Paid Media – Alley Group
PR – Herd MSL

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