HOLA – The Anti-swipe Dating App
Challenge: Create a brand new dating app.
We all want to love and be loved. That’s why dating apps are everywhere — each one promising to help you find “the one.” With so many options available, you’d think finding love would be easier.
But modern dating has become over-curated and under-felt.
Dating apps have turned connection into performance. People optimise profiles, curate personalities and present ideal versions of themselves to strangers. More options mean more swipes and more matches — but also more ghosting, more unmet expectations, more disappointment.
Online dating fatigue is real. 78% of Gen Z report dating app burnout.
Because the industry, worth over $316 million in Australia alone, isn't actually built for connection. It's built for engagement. Designed to keep people looking, not to help them find.
So I asked: what if we flipped the model?
Most dating apps go: Connect → Chat → (maybe) Chemistry
HOLA flips it: Chemistry → Connect → Chat
HOW? Through HLA matching.
We all have HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen) genes — they help our bodies recognise what belongs to us and what doesn’t. Research suggests people with compatible HLA genes often experience stronger attraction and a deeper emotional connection.
Introducing HOLA — a fictional dating app that uses DNA compatibility to match users based on real chemistry, backed by science.
What makes HOLA different
Unlike conventional dating apps, HOLA removes the swipe mechanic entirely. No swiping. No endless scrolling.
Instead, you get 3 matches a day — chosen based on your HLA compatibility score and in-depth profile.
Fewer options, but the right ones.
Once matched, users have 24 hours to chat before deciding whether to meet in real life.
Because if chemistry already exists, why stay stuck texting?
Now see how it feels. Zoom in, click around, and scroll to explore.
Campaign Rollout
OOH: Transit Ads & Street Posters
Netflix Partnership
In collaboration with Margaritha Jesslyn, whose design skills brought the prototype to life.