Here’s Why This Film Is Partnering With a Threesome Dating App at SXSW

In 2015, Alex Garland’s Ex Machina got major buzz from a sneaky promotion it ran on Tinder at South by Southwest: Attendees who encountered a woman named Ava on the app soon found that she wasn’t a potential match at all but a way for you to learn about the film. It’s fitting, then, that another film would try a dating app partnership at the festival—though is much more clear cut.

To promote Robert Schwartzman’s The Unicorn, which premieres today at South by Southwest, the film’s producers have partnered with a dating app, 3Somer.

“3somer is more than just a Tinder alternative for threesomes,” said John Martinuk, cofounder of 3Somer, in a statement. “We aim to create an exclusive and friendly community for people into the threesome lifestyle. We’re more than excited to partner with The Unicorn, as it is the perfect film with which to enlighten the public and show a side of the lifestyle that not many others are aware of.”

The Unicorn follows Malory (played by Lauren Lapkus) and Caleb (played by Nick Rutherford), a couple four years into their marriage, who embark on a quest to give threesome dating a try.

“There are a lot of similarities between independent films and startup companies, especially the hurdles that they both face,” said Schwartzman in a statement. “What I love most about the process is finding those interesting collaborations and in 3Somer, we found a company that was, like the characters in this film, open to change and willing to try something new. We’re excited for people in 3Somer’s community to discover The Unicorn and vice versa.”

Check out what the promotion looks like below:

Kristina Monllos

@KristinaMonllos

Kristina Monllos is a senior editor for Adweek.