Online dating is just as popular in Europe these days as it is in America. Are we surprised? Not really. In fact, leave it to Europeans to find the most outrageous form of advertising to lure people into the virtual selection box. Ready for this?
AdopteUnMec.com (Adopt A Man) is a French dating website that has decided to advertise it’s services by creating a traveling showcase of boxed up men, similar to ken dolls. Each of the men (who are models rather than actual eligible bachelors) stand in glass displays that resembles a doll box and are even given nicknames like “The Rocker” and “Mr. Muscle.” The displays remain for ten days until moving on to the next location.
But why is it only men boxed up like male Barbies? Because the world would have a kanipshi* if they put women in there to “sell themselves,” for one. Secondly, and definitely the strongest reason, is that this website has a completely different structure than American dating websites. It seems to resemble a lighter version of sites for Sugar Daddy’s. The site is absolutely free for women. Men must pay for their profile on which to market their strengths and assets to the online female community. Most notably, women must initiate contact in order to “purchase” the men in what’s called a “market of love.”
This site has only been operating since 2010 and yet receives on average, 300 million page views per month. That’s pretty dang good, considering it’s only free to half the population. But it doesn’t beat our beloved PlentyOfFish.com which reportedly matches the French site’s 300 million page views a month from just PoF’s mobile app alone! (thank you datingsitesreviews.com). To be fair, PoF has been in operation since 2008 and therefore had plenty of time to grow and develop. But with strategies like men in a box, I don’t see AdopteUnMec going anywhere soon.
So what do you think? Was this public display of Parisian Ken clever, offensive or just plain ridiculous? And should we do something like this in the US? Put men in a box? I think Justin Timberlake would claim rights to this concept having started a similar trend through his SNL appearance in 2007. You all know what I’m talking about. ;)
I’ve spoken to a few friends in Sweden and Germany for their opinions on online dating overseas and received varied opinions. But if any other foreign friends want to inform me of the most popular dating sites for comparison to US sites, leave a comment!
To read the article on the Men-In-A-Box event, click here:
http://shine.yahoo.com/love-sex/adopt-guy-parisian-pop-shop-sells-men-181500255.html
