Communicator Spotlight: Michael Kaye of OkCupid
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Photo illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photo: Courtesy of OKCupid.
Michael Kaye is the global head of communications at OkCupid where he leads PR in the United States, Europe and the Middle East.
Why it matters: The dating app market is convoluted — with over 1,500 apps available worldwide — yet Kaye has found a way to insert OkCupid into the conversation, from tying cuffing season habits to climate change, to highlighting how societal issues impact dating.
📍How he got here: Kaye got his start working for agencies like Edelman and Ruder Finn.
- "Earned media has always been my focus, and storytelling continues to be my passion, but I have also loved helping brands meet consumers on social media platforms."
🌡 Hardest day at work: Following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, the OkCupid team felt a responsibility to amplify conversations about race and racism in America.
- "I was anxious about how the public would react to a brand inserting itself into this conversation," Kaye told Axios. "But if you’re talking about an issue with coworkers, family members and friends, then you're most likely talking about it on your dating app, too."
- In response, OkCupid introduced a #BlackLivesMatter profile badge — which 9 in 10 people added to their profiles — and donated $1 million of advertising space to Black civil rights organizations and made direct donations to the ACLU, Black Girls CODE, Fair Fight Action and the NAACP.
- "Typically new product features take months of planning, but our #BlackLivesMatter profile badge was released in less than 72 hours," Kaye told Axios. "It was a feature product we all worked tirelessly to get right."
📈 Trend spot: The blurred lines between communications and marketing.
- "The next generation of chief marketing officers will come from today’s social media managers — but communications will continue to play a key role."
🎧 Media diet: Podcasts like "BRAND: ME! with Preston Konrad"; "The Daily"; "Dates & Mates with Damona Hoffman"; and "Crime Junkie."
🧠Advice: Don't be afraid of data.
