Kalpana Kalpana (Editor)

Scruff (app)

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Development status
  
Active

Website
  
www.scruff.com

Developer(s)
  
Perry Street Software, Inc (company)

Initial release
  
July 23, 2010 (2010-07-23)

Operating system
  
iOS, Android, Windows Phone

Scruff is an international mobile application for gay and bisexual men that runs on iOS, Android, Windows Phone and Apple Watch.

Contents

History

The company was founded in 2010 by Johnny Skandros and Eric Silverberg, now its CEO. Founding partner Jason Marchant is the company's Chief Product Officer. Joey Dubé is the company's Vice President of Marketing, Media, and Events.

In 2013, the app added a community for HIV-positive users called "Poz," and they were the first app to include options for members of the military and transgender community.

In 2014, the company won several mobile app awards including Time Out New York’s Best App Award.

In 2014, the company launched BenevolAds, which gives $1 million of free in-app advertising, annually, to LGBTQ community nonprofits, sports teams, public health organizations and community partners. The program also works with AIDS organizations, health agencies, and the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention to educate users about HIV and other diseases and to encourage testing.

In 2015, the company added a traveler alert feature that notifies users when they reach one of approximately 100 countries where homosexuality is criminalized, sends alerts to members about immediate safety concerns in these regions, and partners with the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA), on a web page identifying anti-gay laws in such countries.

In October, 2015, the company launched Scruff Version 5, which added Scruff Venture, new communities, new relationship types, and sex preferences and safety practices.

Operations

Using geolocation, the home interface displays a grid of user profile pictures, arranged from nearest to farthest away. Tapping a picture opens a users’ profile displaying options to chat, send a "woof," save the profile as a Favorite, "Unlock" private photo and video albums, and other shared information from the user.

Features

  • Venture: Browse popular travel destinations around the world. See members who are traveling currently or are arriving soon; browse rooms & AirBnBs; RSVP to local events; chat with local ambassadors about where to go and what to do.
  • Communities: This portion of the profile allows users the option to list individual Communities they identify with, and which Communities they’re "into."
  • Woof: The "Woof" option enables members to express interest by "woofing" at another member as an alternate choice to directly messaging them.
  • Stealth Mode: The Stealth Mode feature uses GPS obfuscation to hide a user’s location if a member chooses that option for their privacy or protection.
  • Global Search: The Global Search feature allows users to search for other members by Community, city, ZIP code or country.
  • Events: Users have the option of exploring Events in their area, and what other users are attending.
  • Match: A photo swipe feature for members specifically seeking relationships.
  • Insights: Allows users to see statistics based on a certain users’ responsiveness towards other communities within the app.

    • Users

    As of 2015, the app has approximately 8 million users worldwide with Scruff downloads taking place throughout 180 countries and six continents. The app has been translated into 14 languages including Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Russian, Chinese, Greek, and Arabic.

    The company unveiled an ad campaign on a billboard just outside Super Bowl XLIX that read "Play On Our Team" to encourage acceptance of gay professional athletes.

    Founder Johnny Skandros and Scruff’s Pit Crew were featured as challenge guests on Season 6 of RuPaul's Drag Race.

    References

    Scruff (app) Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA