WHEN you're happily coupled up, your first instinct might be to shout it from the rooftops and on social networks. But some people prefer to show off their significant other in a more subtle way, to preserve the privacy of their personal world.
This approach is known as "soft launching."
Imagine scrolling through your best friend's Instagram story, only to catch a glimpse of a man's hand. Then, in another post, two Spritz cocktails are pictured. You quickly realise that your best friend is dating someone.
Showing, but not telling, that you're in a relationship is what "soft launching" is all about. This concept refers to sharing subtle snapshots of life in a relationship without showing your partner's face.
This term, borrowed from the world of business and technology, normally refers to previewing a product to a limited number of people in order to measure its effectiveness.
Now used in a completely different context, "soft launching" has become a real trend on social networks.
A slow reveal
On TikTok, the #softlaunch hashtag has racked up 200 million views, and a trend called "how I soft launched my boyfriend" has gone viral.
Young women have taken to showing how they "soft launched" their partner through their posts on social networks.
For the TikToker Jhorinarae, this involves photographs of feet on the beach, gifts, or two identical pairs of sneakers. While some social media users find the trend romantic, others find it strange.
Some comments under the video, which has been viewed seven million times, read: "Why does it matter how you launch your boyfriend on Instagram?", "Why can't we just post our bfs, hello?" or "Nah, show him off instead. Feels better."
TikToker Sophiaacsta, even made a video criticising the concept: "I think soft launching your boyfriend when you're not a celebrity is so embarrassing.
"You're like, oh, I took a picture in a mirror that's not in my house so people are going to wonder whose house it is. Like, nobody was wondering that ... you're not Kylie Jenner!"
A celebrity trend
That's because we owe soft launching to celebrities hoping to maintain a private life away from the spotlight.
When American reality TV star Kourtney Kardashian started dating her husband Travis Barker, one single Instagram post showing two hands intertwined is what tipped off her fans.
Indeed, teasing the idea that you're in a relationship has become the best way to preserve the privacy of your love life.
There are several reasons you might do this: you might want to protect your relationship, or it could be that you're not sure about your partner yet, or you want to avoid having to delete photographs of your ex's face after a break-up.
Indeed, sharing your relationship on social networks is an indelible commitment for many people.
But while the concept is based on discretion, it's also a way of sparking the curiosity of your followers (like a star would) without sharing everything right away.
So it's not surprising to come across prying questions like: "But whose hand is that?" or "Who were you at the restaurant with?"
As the weeks go by, more and more details emerge, giving clues to insistent exes or former crushes that you're no longer going it alone.
Fear of showing the world a ‘future ex’
For experts, this trend is symptomatic of the fear of relationship failure.
Relationship expert Devyn Simone states in an interview with PureWow: "Soft launching can be a good way to slowly introduce your new partner to your circle, it also can provide a feeling of protection in case that new relationship doesn’t work out long-term.
"You have fewer photo reminders of the person (and possibly fewer photos to erase) off your social media."
Sarah Louise Ryan, an expert in dating and relationships, thinks that soft launches are a good way to find out more about your new partner.
"[Soft launching is] a subtle way to show the world that you are no longer single or that you’re currently immersed in the dating process with someone," she told Refinery29.
"It’s almost a way to test the waters with that person too, about how you both would like to manage the snapshot of your relationship that shows up on social media." – ETX Daily Up, July 11, 2023
