Planned Parenthood and OkCupid Named a 2018 Halo Award Winner

New York, NY -- Planned Parenthood Federation of America, together with OkCupid, has been named the 2018 Gold Halo Award winner in the Social Media category. Last September, Planned Parenthood Federation of America announced a unique partnership with OkCupid, creating an in-app Planned Parenthood badge that enabled users to find and connect with other members who support the organization and access to reproductive health and rights. The in-app badge, which read “#IStandWithPP,” rolled out at the start of a week-long promotion of sexual health information and tips via OkCupid’s and Planned Parenthood’s social media channels.

The #IStandWithPP badge allowed people to publicly show their support for Planned Parenthood directly on their OkCupid profiles. The badge was prominently displayed on the profile of every OkCupid member who publicly responded “no” to the question, “Should the government ‘defund’ Planned Parenthood?” Over 80 percent of OkCupid users who responded to the question did NOT think Planned Parenthood should be “defunded,” including 90 percent of Millennial women.

We’re thrilled to be honored for our partnership with OkCupid, and for the support of so many OKCupid users,” said Dawn Laguens, executive vice president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “This partnership confirms that people want to connect with like-minded people who believe in the same causes they do, including improved access to expert sexual and reproductive health and education. We’re so grateful that OkCupid has given its users a way to connect over these shared values. At Planned Parenthood, we are committed to getting people the information and care they need to lead healthy lives and achieve their goals – whether that’s on their phones or in a health center.

As a result of the campaign, responses by users to the Planned Parenthood question increased by 820 percent. Matches for users who had the badge increased by four times as much during the partnership, with an enormous spike among men. OkCupid has found that men on OkCupid who support Planned Parenthood are nine times more likely to get liked and more than seven times more likely to match.

This partnership is part of a sustained effort of support by major brands that stand with Planned Parenthood and support access to sexual and reproductive health care. This effort includes partnerships with the WNBA, Warner Bros, Tumblr, and the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Last month, Planned Parenthood Federation of America partnered with OkCupid again, along with Bumble, Grindr, and Hornet, to help build a culture of consent and respect on the dating app platforms throughout Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

The Halo Awards are North America’s highest honor for corporate social initiatives and cause marketing, and are presented by Engage for Good (formerly Cause Marketing Forum). This year’s awards mark the 16th year that Engage for Good will honor businesses and nonprofits with Halos for doing well by doing good.

The Halo Awards were created to acknowledge best in class corporate social impact programs. This year’s winners are a fantastic representation of the effective and innovative ways companies and causes can work together to create meaningful business and social returns," said David Hessekiel, president for Engage for Good.

A total of 28 category awards will be given out to programs judged to be the best cause marketing campaigns of 2017 at the 16th annual Engage for Good conference in Chicago on May 24.

A list of the Cause Marketing Halo Award finalists can be seen at http://www.engageforgood.com/halo-awards.

About Engage for Good
Engage for Good, producer of the Engage for Good conference and Halo Awards, helps business and nonprofit executives succeed together by providing practical information and inspiration, opportunities to build valuable relationships and recognition for outstanding work engaging employees and consumers around social good and cause-related marketing efforts.

About OkCupid
OkCupid knows that you deserve what dating does: better. That’s why OkCupid shows who you are beyond just a photo, allowing you to share your stories and find people as individual as you are. One of the most recognized dating websites and apps in the world, OkCupid uses a high-tech algorithm to connect people based on the deeper things, like beliefs and interests. Over 57,000,000 daters have used OkCupid since it was founded by in 2004, and today logins span 113 countries around the world. Acquired by Match Group (MTCH, NASDAQ) in 2011, the company is headquartered in New York City. For more information, visit www.okcupid.com or follow @okcupid on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable health care for women, men, and young people, as well as the nation’s largest provider of sex education. With more than 600 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood organizations serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect and without judgment. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable health information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives.