by Cedric ‘BIG CED’ Thornton
October 4, 2024
A recent study reveals that on dating apps 70% of Black men don’t smile in their profile photo.
Oct. 4 is World Smile Day and the folks at BLK want Black men to smile with their #BLKMenSmile Campaign.
BLK, a dating app, wants to encourage Black men to smile to spread Black joy. They want Black men to smile more as a new study reveals that over 70% of Black men do not smile in their profiles on dating apps. It’s suspected that it may be because of societal standards, perceptions of masculinity, and cultural pressures.
“The #BLKMenSmile campaign is about challenging the norms that hold Black men back from expressing their joy. We want to show that a smile isn’t just an act of positivity — it’s a powerful expression of self-love, confidence, and authenticity,” said Jonathan Kirkland, head of Brand & Marketing at BLK in a written statement.
BLK has collaborated with Express Yourself Black Man for this campaign as the company commits to showcasing positive Black male expression, mental health, and cultural empowerment.
#BLKMenSmile highlight the smiles of all varieties of Black men as the video clip shows over 50 of them displaying their smiles to the world. In an effort for Black men to smile more, the video highlights everyone smiling as each one is shown through the clip. Hopefully, when Black men do create their profiles on dating apps, they show off their smiles to let the world see that they are not the stereotypical non-smiling, disheartened Black men as perceived in society.
The video shows inspirational quotes for Black men to follow and live by to make Black men feel better about showing their smiles.
“Every Black Man Deserves to Smile,” “Smile, Black Man,” “Your Joy is Your Power,” and “A Smile is a Revolutionary.”
While Black men are using the BLK app, they will be able to use a limited-edition digital sticker that was made exclusively for Black men utilizing the app. The sticker shows a Black man smiling, with “Black Boy Joy” written in grillz across his teeth.
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