Men Are Not from Venus

by Daria Steigman on February 17, 2009

This isn’t going to be a post about dating, relationships, or Valentine’s Day. But when was the last time you heard a guy say he was looking forward to “getting to the communication”?

That’s a key line from an advertisement by online dating service eHarmony that has been running on ESPN News. Apparently eHarmony just held a “free communication weekend,” presumably in honor of Valentine’s Day.

The ad caught my attention because it seemed so out of place on a sports network. (That and the guy uttering a phrase that no real person would actually use.) So here’s the bigger question: who is the target audience? If I’m watching a sporting event, I’m not likely to turn it off and log on to fill out a “29 dimensions of compatibility” questionnaire.

Why do you think eHarmony is advertising on ESPN? Smart move or waste of money?

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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Jeremy Meyers February 22, 2009 at 5:26 am

Well, ESPN has a predominantly younger-skewing and male audience, which are prime candidates for dating sites. not sure eHarmony is the one of choice, since they seem to have branded themselves the “looking for marriage” site, which can be a turnoff for those just looking to date.

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2 Daria Steigman February 22, 2009 at 11:52 am

Thanks, Jeremy, for the comment. Maybe match.com ought to be advertising on ESPN. Still not sure what eHarmony is doing there. But then, I don’t get their core appeal anyway. I know one vegetarian who was matched up with a butcher, and later kept getting set up with religious Christians even though she’d written on her profile “spiritual, not religious.” (What she was doing on eHarmony in the first place is another story.)

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