ParshipMeet Group

ParshipMeet Group, parent company for popular dating apps like eHarmony, MeetMe and Skout, has started preparations for its initial public offering, notably on the heels of Bumble going public earlier this year.

According to Reuters, ParshipMeet Group’s IPO is scheduled for the first half of 2022, but there is some speculation that it may be pushed back in light of Bumble’s falling stock price in recent weeks. ParshipMeet is estimated to be worth upward of $4.1 billion, based on its core earnings, and the company reported revenues of 280 million euros for the first half of the year, up 19 percent.

ParshipMeet is 43 percent owned by General Atlantic and 53 percent by German broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1 Media. These co-owners have begun to invite banks to help organize the initial public offering, but the company has not confirmed who they have invited or begun working with.

Online dating company eHarmony launched an ad campaign highlighting LGBTQ dating on its app, and has received backlash from some on the conservative right, according to a report by NBC News.

The company has roots in the Christian community and has been viewed as unwelcoming to the LGBTQ community. To move past this perception, executives invested in a rebranding campaign that highlights inclusivity. The company launched its first inclusive ad featuring a lesbian couple this winter.

The ad entitled “I Scream” is part of the “Real Love” campaign, and shows the couple in their kitchen making dinner, then deciding it’s not very good and opting for ice cream on the couch. “Being honest with each other,” the voiceover says. “Saying yes to great ideas. eHarmony — here for real love.”

Recipient of Gold
Tinder

Recipient of Silver
POF

Recipient of Bronze
eHarmony

This past year has been an interesting one from a dating perspective thanks to the pandemic that took hold of the world and the lock downs and social distancing that resulted from it. Most of the popular dating services found an increase in visitors especially during lockdown when people were forced to stay home. Seeing this trend, dating services that did not have a video feature rushed to get one added to their service to ensure daters had a way to interact virtually through live video streaming since meeting in real life was out. The funny thing with this is most services that have been around for the past 5 years probably had implemented video dating at one point, but had removed it by 2020 due to members not using it. While a lot of dating services did see increase numbers of visitors that did not necessarily mean increased revenue since online daters are looking to spend less during these uncertain times.

Right on schedule this year the 2021 Dating Sites Reviews Single's Choice Award poll went online October 1^st, 2020 and closed for voting on December 31^st, 2020. In 3 months, 334 visitors took time and cast their vote in the poll. This is down about 35% when compared to last year. I think part the reason for this was singles had decided to stay with the popular dating options instead of looking for new services thanks to the pandemic. For 2021, the poll asked the following question:

Recipient
eHarmony

eHarmony is the winner of the Editor's Top Pick - Match System award for 2021. In recent years this category has a seen a reduction of dating services who meet the criteria to be considered. The reason is the pendulum seems to have shifted with the increased popularity of dating apps. Casual dating with swiping through endless photos is on the rise (emphasizing quantity) while long-term relationships and in depth profiles is falling (quality). The result of this is matching algorithms do not have to be nearly as complex since so little profile information exists about members. Thanks to dating services like eHarmony, matching based on compatibility is still important and a major focus of their dating service.

Online dating service eHarmony announced the launch of its new “Real Love” ad campaign, featuring candid moments of couples finding love in everyday, real life scenarios that will be broadcast on key media outlets across the U.S., U.K. and Australia.

There will be a total of seven ads according to the company’s press release, with the first three launching immediately. 

Each ad is a different scenario of love blossoming, the first of two women laughing after trying a new recipe that doesn’t taste so good, which leads to sharing a carton of ice cream and cozying up on the couch. Another features a young woman on eHarmony’s app who is messaging and sharing silly photos of herself with a love interest, with the narrator explaining that real love is “letting someone see every side of you” and “knowing you could be yourself.” The third ad shows a man surprising his date with a romantic setting of glowing red lanterns lining a patio, with a narrator saying “real love is making moments that last forever.”

Singles in the U.K. are on the hunt for love before the next wave of the pandemic forces people to isolate once more. 

Dating site eHarmony found that one fifth of singles (21%) are eager to find partners right now as potential lockdowns loom, and that 40% of those looking to couple up will do so because they spent the previous lockdown alone. Eighteen percent are looking to move in with a partner to escape their current living situation, whether it’s with family, roommates, or living alone.