Love & Relationships
Publicly defining a relationship has come a long way since the days of updating our Facebook status from single to in a relationship. What was once a moment to outwardly declare your transition from being unpartnered to becoming officially cuffed has gotten a serious upgrade in its mystery and inconspicuous nature.
Enter the soft launch.
The Art of the Soft Launch: What Is Soft Launching?
The “soft launch” is a relationship term that comedian Rachel Sennott first coined in a viral tweet. In the early stages of a budding relationship, it’s the process of gradually teasing the presence of a new partner without ever revealing their identity. It’s the art of discretion and privacy that allows you to only share what you desire before going fully public while leaving the rest to the viewer's imagination. And my, has the internet gotten crafty with it?
How To Soft Launch Your Relationship On Social Media
If you’re wondering what makes a soft launch photo different from other documented displays of partnership, it’s all about the angle. An arm across the dinner table, a tapered fade only seen from behind, or a muscular hand gripping the inner thigh of a passenger princess are all prime real estate for spotting the coveted soft-launch image.
No face, no case. That is, unless, of course, it omits the upper or bottom half of their silhouette. And absolutely no tagged profiles. It’s all about striking the balance of not keeping your partner a secret while still maintaining a sense of autonomy and privacy around how you choose to publicly share the relationship and when you choose to do so.
Why the Soft Launch Works
No matter a person’s social status, there’s always a good reason to keep your relationship protected from the court of public opinion. Newly partnered people can find it challenging to avoid the pressure of having their relationship placed under a microscope and made a spectacle via social media, with eyes from strangers, old acquaintances, and even disapproving family members. With a soft launch, you’re able to foster the narrative of your relationship as it grows and even protect your partner from any unwanted judgment or opinions.
One social media starlet couple recently supplied us with a textbook example of how to go from soft-launching to hard-launching with expert precision.
After months of speculation and fan theories, Monet McMichael and Jalen Noble, popular social media creators, went from soft launch teases to full-out, hard launch status with a series of heart-melting video mashups to announce their buzzing romantic involvement.
Monet, a beauty and lifestyle content creator and GRWM queen with over 3.5 million on TikTok, has garnered an online community that has fallen in love with her charismatic and BFF-in-your-head energy. Jalen is best known for his time as a former participant on Love Island USA and his dog-loving and homely lifestyle content, with a TikTok following of 1.1 million, making them a social media power couple.
From February until their official announcement in April, fans of Jalen and Monet put on their FBI badges and went to work, piecing together the subtle signs, clues, and teases that the two each shared in their social media posts. One post, in particular, featured Monet taking her first ice bath plunge in Jalen's all-too-familiar barrel, followed by a video where Monet provided the voiceover for Jalen's day-in-the-life vlog.
However, nothing could top the couple’s grand unveiling when they took to social media to share a heartwarming and tear-jerking video mashup capturing the precious moments of their freshly unwrapped love story, one so adorable that you couldn’t look away.
When it comes to a soft launch, who doesn’t love a good tease? And taking a note from Monet and Jalen’s book, soft-launching gives new couples the time and space to get to know each other on a deeper level without the pressure, expectations, and attention that may come with a more public-facing relationship.
Not only do these hints and clues keep your social circle curious, but they also allow you to keep your relationship sacred and untainted from outside voices for as long as possible.
Whether you're eager to “my man, my man” your social media peeps to the ground or want to cherish the early stages and moments of your relationship, the beauty in these launches is that it’s totally up to your discretion. It may seem trivial to some, but in our digital age, it gives you agency over how much or how little you choose to share.
When you start sharing intimate details of your love life online, it's a sign of commitment. And with a tasteful soft launch in place, it allows both you and your partner to focus on building a strong connection without external distractions. By prioritizing privacy, you're creating an environment that fosters genuine and long-lasting bonds. It's a healthy approach that paves the way for a fulfilling relationship.
And as they say: private life, happy life.
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Featured image by Hello World/Getty Images
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