Things took a sudden turn as soon as the victories started to pile up. Apple removed us from the App store without explanation one day. Our top source of users was cut off without any explanation, despite numerous emails and phone conversations.
It was so serious that I almost got arrested on my way to the Cupertino office to investigate!
After removing the word ‘bang’ from the app entirely and changing the app’s title, we got reinstated some three months later.
Following Apple’s ban, the organizers of an NYC party leaked our identities, jeopardizing our private lives, other startups, and a key press angle. The leak allowed me to do two things that I could not have done before: make public appearances, and attend exclusive Bang With Friends events.
The ensuing interviews led to more positive reviews, including from the notoriously harsh Valleywag, who helped reduce our frat-boy image when they said I was “hardly the Tucker Max misogynist you might have expected to invent something like this. Rather, he comes across more like a friendly, sex positive brogrammer in search of a viral loop.” I went on to do video interviews and conferences across the world, learning on-the-fly how to tackle public speaking in front of thousands.
Exclusive parties were held in New York, San Francisco and Austin for SXSW 2014. Attendees would sign up on a site that was customized for each event to gain access to the party and find their match.
On the wild side, an attractive journalist got into our VIP section in NYC, sat on my lap, and whispered in my ear, “my editor wanted me to get a story on you, but I told him tonight I’m going to fuck you instead.”
I received an email a few days later with a story draft that included intimate details about our hookup including the dick’s size and skills despite her promise of an off-record session. She decided not to share it with her editor. Our at-capacity party in San Francisco ended with women dancing on the bar and an afterparty at our office, known as “The BangPad.”
Two months after the drama with Apple, Zynga sued us over the use of “With Friends” for alleged trademark infringement on their game, Words With Friends. Many legal and tech experts weighed in on the issue, stating what was obvious. “With friends” is a generic descriptor that perfectly described our app’s functionality. It seemed impossible that consumers could confuse our raunchy app with a Scrabble copycat. Still, Zynga’s war chest threatened to bankrupt us, so we resolved the issue in mediation.
We evolved the brand for broader appeal, not limited to “friends” or “banging,” and avoided paying them a cent. Our simple yet communicative new brand, DOWN, still had a playful side with its wink to the colloquial phrases “Down to Fuck (DTF)” and “Are you down?” yet allowed us on the app stores and a broader product.
Lesson 6: Many startup lives are about simply staying alive. Even when it feels like your world is crashing down around you, take a step back and think of what advice you’d give to another entrepreneur. Make those tough decisions. Downsize, eliminate features, or even whole products. Be scrappy. Get the most from your runway. Delay or negotiate bills. Move to free trials.
We needed to return to the radar with some exciting news following our rebranding as DOWN. First, we brought our scintillating “Bangability” feature, a sort of hotness score based on swipes on your profile and calibrated to similar people near you, to our mobile apps. This Hot-or Not-like rating was the source of virality, as well as coverage by Business Insider, VICE and others.
After almost six months of working in our loft office/apartment in SOMA, we launched our sexy and unique new design, which received great reviews. Unlike Tinder’s card-like UX with 2 gestures (left or right), we focused on 3-way gestures to express your true intentions: up to “hang” (date), down to “get down”, and left to skip.
Thanks to a slick circular interface and intimate emphasis on users’ photos, each profile felt fresh versus the more utilitarian feel compared to other apps.