 |
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
|
 |
|
Love it or hate it, today is VALENTINE’S
DAY.
And while some of us will be spending today
cuddling up with our significant others, and
some will be tearing through the stores
trying to find a last-minute gift, (we know
who you are) others might look to
various services and companies to search for
that special someone.
The online dating industry has experienced
exponential growth in the last five years
alone. Now, rather than hoping to meet
someone at a bar (ick!) or your local
supermarket, you can now search databases of
potential mates from around the world with a
click of the mouse. So how do these
companies encourage people to take the
plunge?
For this special edition of the Good, the
Bad and the Ugly, Kate and Yvette will offer
rapid-fire ratings of three different dating
services spanning three different types of
media, using a special version of our rating
system:
|
The Good - |
Breakfast at Tiffany’s + a
box from Tiffany’s |
|
The Bad -
|
A subscription to “Good
Housekeeping” Magazine + a vacuum
cleaner |
|
The Ugly - |
A beautiful bouquet of flowers and
card - with someone else’s name
on
it |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Bachelor Number One:
Lavalife (Print Advertising)
|
Campaign: |
Print |
|
Venue: |
Toronto / Canada |
|
Date:
|
2006 |
“… Lavalife offers singles anytime,
anywhere connections that make single life a
positive, fulfilling and self-esteem
building experience through relationship
opportunities, social interaction and a like
minded community of ideas and information.”
Lavalife’s print campaign has appeared in
newspapers, magazines and transit
advertisements since 2002. Featuring
whimsical illustrations by Toronto-based
illustrator, Marcos Chin, the ads feature
stylish twentysomething urbandwellers and
catchy taglines.
Kate’s Rating: Good
I think that Lavalife’s print campaign is
very effective – I really love the way that
they have used illustrations to reach their
audience. Illustrations are a great way of
catching people’s attention and the stylish,
slightly retro feel of the ads immediately
evokes the stylized quality of video games
and comic books. I love how the characters
come from a variety of ethnic groups, and
how the “Meet Someone Your Friends Haven’t
Dated” ad captures the “aha!” moment of
catching someone’s eye.
I also like that the call-to-action includes
SMS – this is the way that most of their
target demographic communicates, (much to
the chagrin of their teachers and
professors) and an easy and immediate way
for the audience to respond.
Yvette’s Rating: Good
I have always liked Lavalife’s advertising
campaigns.
Lavalife’s demographic is mainly young,
urban, college or university-educated young
adults with considerable amounts of
disposable income. Also, there are
significantly more males using the service
than females, so targeting the ads to
females is a very smart tactic. Young
females can feel empowered to not wait for
their “prince” and young males know that
there will be a lot of females using the
service.
The strong use of red in their branding is a
fitting reflection of love and romance, and
their stylish illustrations and use of
humour helps to de-stigmatize the idea of
using a dating site – after all, who hasn’t
kissed a few frogs in their day? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bachelor Number One:
Match.com (Website)
|
Campaign: |
Web |
|
Venue: |
Online, mainly targeted to US and
Canada |
|
Date:
|
Current |
“Match.com has one simple mission: to
take the lottery out of love.”
Match.com is an online dating community
featuring sophisticated search engines, a
VIP service (and online matchmaker that
selects potential matches for you) and
MindFindBind™ with Dr. Phil, a education
program that coaches subscribers through the
process of finding a mate and keeping them
once they have them.
Kate’s Rating: Ugly
I find that in spite of it’s claims to have
helped more than 400,000 in 2006, I find
that as a website, Match.com completely
misses its target market. The “portraits” of
users seem cold and contrived and the
tagline, (what is it with they guy crying?)
“it’s okay to look” just seems creepy.
Overall, I find that this site is more
effective as an advertisement for the
company, rather than as a forum for real
people. So while I would consider buying
stock, I would not consider approaching any
of the stylish users gracing the site’s
pages. The clincher for me came when I read
about Match.com’s 6 month “Make Love Happen”
guarantee, which makes me want to watch the
first 3 seasons of “Sex in the City” back to
back in honour of every single person in the
world who is happy just the way they are.
Yvette’s Rating: Bad
Why, oh why, do we always feel the need to
consult Dr. Phil?
Now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, I
find that while this site does function well
as a website, their branding seems
inaccessible to their target market. It’s
not really “workin’ for me”, as Dr. Phil
would say. While the “portraits” on the site
certainly look good, they seem a bit too
slick and formulaic. While the more
calculated and clinical approach might
appeal to some, I find the whole thing
(especially MindFindBind™ just a bit too
disconcerting. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bachelor Number Three:
The Ashley Madison Agency (Television)
|
Campaign: |
Television |
|
Venue: |
National |
|
Date:
|
Current |
““The Ashley Madison Agency is the
world’s largest online Social Networking
Community of its kind that caters to people
who are already in relationships but still
want to date.”
Ashley Madison’s radio and television
campaign targeted to people who are “in a
relationship, but feel that they want
something more’”. The ads feature
attractive, conservatively dressed
professionals who address the viewer
directly in a light and conversational
manner. The actors are placed against a
neutral white background and soft jazz music
plays in the background. The campaign
consists of 30-second spots, and also
features radio commercials, and print ads.
Kate’s Rating: Good
Note to my husband: I have reviewed these
commercials strictly for the purposes of
producing this newsletter ;)
OK, Ashley Madison isn’t for everyone,
including me. However, the reality is that
there are a lot of people who are in
relationships who are looking for “something
more” and if you look at the commercials
from a marketing standpoint, they are very
effective. The use of conservative,
non-threatening characters and the
matter-of-fact tone helps to clearly
communicate what the company is, whom it is
for and why you might want to use their
services.
The tagline, “When Monogamy Becomes
Monotony” perfectly captures their value
proposition and the commercials themselves
help to bring these types of desires into
the mainstream.
Yvette’s Rating: UG-lee!
Now what would Dr. Phil say about this? ;)
I can accept the fact that there are some
people who might want “something more” and I
can also accept that services that provide
access to that little somethin’ have every
much a right to advertise on mainstream
television as any other company, BUT why in
the world would you have such an ineffective
and mis-branded ad?
Television ads are incredibly expensive. The
fact that Ashley Madison has used its
precious and costly airtime to show a series
of boring monotonous creatures attempting to
tempt people into using the service is just
sad. While I understand the value in
presenting a “clean, classy and
conservative” image, especially when you’re
promoting cheating on your spouse, I find
the dialogue, “acting” and background just
too much to bear. Is this Ashley Madison’s
way of making extramarital affairs seem
acceptable?
People have affairs because they want
excitement – and these ads are in no way
exciting. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
