Soft Launch v Hard Launch: The Showdown

So you’ve got a new bae in your life; it’s been going well and you’re ready to go to Instagram-official.

What do you do?

Do you dedicate an entire post or story to the announcement, signaling loud and clear that you’re in a committed relationship ? Or do you start non-comittantly, sprinkling them into your posts and stories in the hopes that your mates get the hint? This technique has spawned the popular term “boyfriend/girlfriend soft launch”.

Unfortunately, there’s no consensus on the soft launch as opposed to the hard launch, but Missy.ie is here to give you a list of pros and cons, so you can decide which fits your personality and vibe best.

Get ready for the Soft Launch v Hard Launch showdown…

The Soft Launch

Pros

By soft-launching your new significant other, your relationship escapes being assessed and dissected under the microscope of social media. You might feel less pressure to report on everything you do and perform perfection for an audience. Cosplaying as the “perfect couple” for too long, especially when the relationship is still fresh, can put too much strain on it. The soft-launch and the casual posting affords you the luxury of having a “private but not secret” relationship that progresses naturally, at its own pace far from the watchful eye of social media.

Cons

Being mysterious has a price. Although no one knows who invented the concept of “soft launching”, it’s a pretty widespread practice now. Chances are people are going to know exactly what you’re up to and slide into your DMs demanding answers. Expect this and expect to either deliver the news privately or keep up the charade. Remember that the latter might demand much more energy.

Pros

If you’ve decided to make your relationship internet official, soft-launching it into the social media abyss gives you plausible deniability in case unwanted eyes see it. The beauty of the soft launch is in a side profile, the specific placement of a hand, or in how frequently the same person is in your stories. It’s extremely subliminal. If you get caught : deny deny deny. They don’t have proof anyway.

The Hard Launch

Pros

Once the news is out, it’s out. You don’t have to go through the continued effort of introducing the fact that you have a new person in your life in every conversation. You know it and thanks to that post you made at 9am captioned “Bae” everyone else does. That’s going to save you time, energy and might even free up your peace of mind.

Cons

If the worst happens and the relationship doesn’t last, you must go back to your account and go through the awkward and painful process of removing all your posts featuring this person. This less-than-enjoyable trip down memory lane is worsened by the fact that your friends, your family members, and anyone who follows you will inevitably notice. They’ll be gracious enough not to comment, but you know they’ve seen it. It’s an inevitable part of the hard launch. So, if you’re willing to deal with the slight post-breakup social media cleanse, by all means, go for it.