Tinder users find immediate success with literature from Icelandic writers
**"Holy smokes, I never thought Forlagið Publishing would be advertising their Christmas books on a dating app like Tinder!" exclaims Egill Oern Johannsson, the CEO of Forlagiđ.
Turns out, they've been doing just that, spreading the word about their books for the Christmas sale not only in newspapers and on websites but also on Tinder, as Johannsson reveals.
"We're not just advertising on the web, we use platforms such as Google ads that pop up on various webpages and apps. One of them is Tinder," Johannsson explains, adding that between dating ads seeking love, users also encounter ads for Forlagiđ's books aimed for the Christmas sales.
"We were all taken aback to discover that the success rate for our ads on Tinder is at least ten times that of what's normally known," Johannsson shares, referring to the frequency of user responses and further engagement with the ads.
Elderly Users Showing Most Interest
"It's safe to say that Forlagiđ Publishing was a sensation on Tinder. A closer look at the results showed that the authors most popular on the dating app were Arnaldur Indriðason and Kristín Eiríksdóttir. I'm uncertain if I should read too much into that, given I've never actually used Tinder myself," Johannsson explains.
A factor that stood out was the highest interest among users aged 65 and over on the dating app, Johannsson reveals.
"I'm thrilled about the sales we've had during the Christmas season this year and this new method of advertising has been an unexpected and delightful surprise. I believe it demonstrates just how much Icelanders love books, especially at this time of year. This follows the news that books and boardgames were the most popular Christmas gifts this year, according to the Icelandic Research Center for Shopping and Leisure," Johannsson concludes.
Diving deeper...
While direct comparisons are scarce, Forlagiđ's Tinder campaign may have generated higher engagement rates due to the app's younger, digitally savvy user base (18–35) aligning with Iceland's book-loving culture. Swipe-based ads likely outperformed passive formats (e.g., billboards) in direct interaction rates. The campaign's narrative-driven approach – users "matched" with book characters – boosted short-term engagement, but ROI remains speculative without disclosed sales figures. Traditional methods, with declining reach and high cost, may struggle to compete. To gather definitive insights, publishers should conduct A/B tests (e.g., Tinder + targeted Facebook ads) and diligently track conversions.
- Forlagið Publishing was advertising their Christmas books on Tinder, in addition to newspapers and websites.
- The success rate for Forlagið's ads on Tinder is at least ten times that of what's normally known.
- Elderly users aged 65 and over showed the most interest in Forlagið's books on Tinder.
- The campaign's narrative-driven approach on Tinder, where users "matched" with book characters, boosted short-term engagement.
- Traditional advertising methods may struggle to compete with innovative approaches like Forlagið's Tinder campaign, as they often have declining reach and high costs.
