#boyfriend soft launch

[discluded]

Congrats on getting Mileapo bingo! 🎉 I was just wondering - what does ‘boyfriend soft/hard launch’ mean? Thanks! 😅

OH THIS IS FUN

I think I posted about it a while back, but I never quite tagged for it, but this R29 article probably has the most succinct definition:

Soft launches are great if you’re not totally ready to shout about your new romance from the rooftops. "They’re a subtle way to show the world that you are no longer single or that you’re currently immersed in the dating process with someone," she says. "It’s almost a way to test the waters with that person too, about how you both would like to manage the snapshot of your relationship that shows up on social media." [src]

The term soft launch originates from marketing, wherein: "A soft launch, also known as a soft opening, is a preview release of a product or service to a limited audience prior to the general public." The marketing part is about the fact that it's there, but you have to stumble upon it more than a direct push to make people know about it. It's there but not actively being advertised.

Here's some more details about how people online typically "soft launch" their relationship:

Evie soft-launched her situationship by posting photos of her food and drinks while on dates with him. "I didn’t tag him or show his face," she says. Soft-launching also mirrors the excitement of these early stages of a relationship – because although soft launches appear nonchalant, there’s an air of mystery about them which makes them exhilarating, too.

This one is funny too.

The term “soft launch” initially went viral thanks to a since-deleted tweet from Bottoms actor Rachel Sennott. In 2020, she aptly described the social media trend when she wrote: “Congrats on the Instagram soft launch of ur boyfriend (pic on story, elbow and side profile only).” [src]

(ps - watch Bottoms, a high school comedy you've seen before, but this time gay!!!)

Apo originally led with these on his IGS from the Vogue Gala last year:

it's even more obvious in context here lol:

okay yeah yeah obviously we know this is Mile, but let's not take the fun out of it for them :P

But let's not forget this is a part of it too -- if they are. :) but part of the fun of the soft launch is that they don't have to commit to it.

Fear of public backlash is especially prevalent in queer relationships, according to Madeleine Ciano, a television program coordinator who identifies as bisexual. It’s hard enough with societal pressures, but the added layer of homophobia and bigotry raises the stakes, according to Ciano, especially when it calls your safety into question. Ciano explained that she didn’t hard launch her girlfriend, knowing that she would “open [herself] up to a lot of vitriol” on social media.

But these are more of the "hard launches" where they show up straight up with the entire face and looking so boyfie on social:

[enluv]

soft launching with jake!

PAIRING! - non!idol jake × fem!reader

SYNOPSIS! - jake and y/n portray their relationship through a series of soft launching <3

genre(s): tooth rooting fluff, soft launching, enha 02z line !!

warnings: just some cursing, the girls are a bit hostile, sunghoon says he's gonna die a few times (?),a ur mom joke, that’s all (i think) lmk if I missed something!!

all versions here -> jay | jake | sunghoon | heeseung | masterlist

coco’s love note: here’s another installment of my soft launching series!! honestly I have so much fun making these like seriously they’re so fun especially planning dates to fit the boys !! anyways I hope you liked this one and enjoyed reading it!! as always, feedback & reblogs are appreciated <3

edit: if you saw that no you didn’t 😵‍💫🫵🏽

taglist?! @yeoforce @bloom-bloom-pow @nikis-mum @yourlocalhotgf @kyublr @spoooooooooooon @enhacolor @yoongimooni @blaqpinksthectic @gyuuss @eternallyhyucks @dinosdance @simpforsung @misschubswrites @junityy @junry (bold can't be tagged - pls send me an ask/dm to be removed or added to this taglist!)

[landoscarsheart]

landos hand at the side 🤭 also thats the same outfit lando wore in the hilton video???

[glitterjay]

— soft launch pt.2

⠀⭒ paring idol!sunoo x nonidol!reader. fluff, social media (mini) au, pt.2! pt.1 is here

a few minutes had passed ever since the show began. young-k was astonished by the amount of silly behavior coming from this boys. "you guys make me feel young again. speaking of youth, every young man like you should have a love interest by now. is there someone in your guy's heart?"

"of course!" heeseung spoke up. "engene is always in our hearts!"

sunoo laughed nervously. he had spoken with the company about revealing his relationship, and they had surprisingly agreed. the boys knew about it as well and were happy for both of you on this next step of your journey.

"i do have someone in my heart," sunoo said. "of course, it is engene... and my girlfriend"

-

the rest of the show went smoothly, with the rest of enhypen as well as young-k trying to bring down the nervousness sunoo was feeling.

you, on the other hand, were beyond happy and excited. sunoo was officially out to the world as a taken man. taken by you.

© glitterjay | tumblr

[your-ace-cousin-clover]

The kids in the youth group definitely have a group chat tracking Kelvin and Keefe’s relationship judging from Keefe’s Instagram.

[brr-voca]

i love headcanoning pdh to hell and back bc i don’t remember what happened at all. however, it seems like a shit show, so now i’m gonna change that and also make it like 80% gayer

[winterlady1967]

you and your boyfriend get stuck in a groundhog day situation.....call that a fruit loop

[thebedroomblues]

What's ITMFL? 👀

the movie In The Mood For Love! it’s mostly me being silly, but on Jan 3rd Miles reposted the iconic deleted dancing scene and tagged Ben with the 🥰 emoji on his story and then on Jan 4th he posted a photo in that shirt with the caption “IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE”.

[enluv]

soft launching with jay!

PAIRING! - non!idol jay x fem!reader

SYNOPSIS! - jay and y/n portray their relationship through a series of soft launching 🤍

genre(s): tooth rooting fluff, soft launching

warnings: just some cursing, sunghoon says he’s gonna die like twice (?), and that’s all (i think) !!

all versions here -> jay | jake | sunghoon | heeseung | masterlist

coco’s love notes! - I absolutely adore the idea of soft launching a relationship and so I thought about what it’d be like to do so with jay! I absolutely love this idea so I think when I’m having writers block like today, I’ll just write another member of enhypens hyung line!! possibly dabble into the maknaes and other groups I write for! I hope you enjoy this, feedback & reblogs are always appreciated <3

taglist?! @yeoforce @bloom-bloom-pow @nikis-mum @yourlocalhotgf @kyublr @spoooooooooooon @enhacolor @yoongimooni @blaqpinksthectic @gyuuss @eternallyhyucks @dinosdance @simpforsung @misschubswrites @junityy @jjunry (bold can't be tagged - pls send me an ask/dm to be removed or added to this taglist!)

[henswilsons]

i went out with a friend today and put him on my instagram forgetting it was in fact valentine’s day and it now looks like i’ve soft launched a boyfriend im not being dramatic when i say im going to jump off a bridge

[glitterjay]

— soft launch pt.1

⠀⭒ paring idol!sunoo x nonidol!reader. fluff, social media (mini) au see pt.2 here

© glitterjay | tumblr

[manhuntwaist]

nice gay joke but why the fuck is george tagged??? care to explain dream?

[dependante]

Past and present (cod mini comic)

Cw for burnt bodies, mcd, reference to 09 cod storyline

[sweetheartvalle]

knfers on my twitter tl i want to go home

[fckit-iloveu]

august 2022 - cooking with rory xoxo

[xograciev]

Gracevandien: something felt so good , when you said my name