Match.com, the global leader in online dating, today named its selections for the most influential dating and romance moments of 2004. This year revealed some noticeable shifts in traditional dating dynamics, along with emotional issues highlighted during the Presidential campaign.
"What goes on in the world and what we experience in popular culture can have a direct impact on our relationships," said Kristin Kelly, senior director of public relations for Match.com. "As the recognized dating expert, Match.com has identified the trends and factors that had an influence on what it means to be dating and in love in 2004."
Match.com's Ten Most Influential Moments in Dating and Romance for 2004:
- Love trumps money: In the dating criteria specified by single women,
income has become less important when choosing a mate. While Britney
Spears, Julia Roberts and Mira Sorvino have all opted to marry an
"average Joe," the trend is not limited to Hollywood. Women on
Match.com have become less specific about income, as the percentage
who specified an income preference for potential mates decreased by
20 percent in the past three years, from 76 percent in 2001 down to
56 percent in 2004.
- Seniors click with online dating: According to Nielsen/NetRatings,
seniors represent the fastest-growing online demographic overall. As
older singles become increasingly Internet savvy, many are turning to
online dating sites to find companionship and romance. Online dating
appeals to older singles because it lets them ease back into the
dating scene at their own pace, connect with other eligible singles
from the comfort of their own home and take some time to get to know a
person a little before going on a first date. On Match.com alone,
senior membership has tripled since 2000.
- Farewell, Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha: This year saw the
final episode of HBO's monumental series "Sex and the City." During
its six-year run, the show focused on the friendship of four single
women living in Manhattan and chronicled their dating and relationship
experiences, often shocking viewers with the characters' sexual
frankness. Carrie delivered the show's parting line, "The most
exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one
you have with yourself. And if you find someone to love the you you
love, well, that's just fabulous."
- Ladies first: Women are more comfortable than ever when it comes to
making the first move in dating situations, and online dating has
helped make that more acceptable. Statistics show that it's working
to their advantage -- according to a January 2004 survey of more than
300 married people who met on Match.com, 27% of the women surveyed
admitted they made the first move in contacting their current husband
via email on the site.
- Politics and dating: Politics got personal this year, as the
Presidential election sparked heated debate about beliefs and values,
and many singles were determined to date along party lines. But
politics may not make such strange bedfellows after all. A
Match.com/Gallup survey of singles found that 57 percent would be open
to marrying someone who held significantly different political views
than their own.
- Same-sex marriage ignites a national debate: While a few local
municipalities wed gay and lesbian couples this year, a variety of
states said "I don't" to gay marriage in the November election. It's
clear that the subject of gay marriage will continue to be a high-
profile issue on the local and national levels. Fifty-one percent of
singles in a pre-election Match.com/Gallup survey said that marriages
between homosexuals should not be recognized by the law as valid,
while 41 percent of singles said they should.
- War in Iraq: As military deployments have stretched on indefinitely,
the conflict in Iraq continues to redefine relationships in 2004. In
the absence of face time, many husbands, wives and significant others
rely on email, letters and phone calls to express their affections for
loved ones while they are far from home. Many singles stationed
overseas have been able to stay connected with other eligible singles
by using the Internet.
- Online dating achieves mainstream status: With 30 million to
40 million people logging on to online dating sites each month in the
United States, online dating went from progressive pastime to
mainstream phenomenon in 2004. A popular dating expert quoted
recently in The New York Times said, "Every single woman in my
neighborhood is on Match.com. It's like brushing your teeth."
- "He's Just Not That Into You:" This New York Times bestseller by
former "Sex and the City" staffers Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo
declared a no-excuses, no rationalizations mantra to help women
recognize when they are wasting their time in dead-end or one-way
relationships. By offering a glimpse into the male phyche, the book
empowers women to set the bar higher in a relationship or move on.
- Single dads are sexy: Single women find single dads sexy, according
to Match.com research, and the phenomenon was highlighted this year by
such shows as UPN's new sitcom "Kevin Hill." Seventy-four percent of
the single women on Match.com indicated that they are open to dating
someone with children. What makes a single dad so attractive? Could
be qualities like generosity, loyalty, responsibility and frequent
displays of public affection with the little ones.
About Match
Match.com is the world's biggest online dating and personals property, according to the October 2004 global ranking of the Personals category by industry-leading independent measurement firm comScore Media Metrix. Match.com operates leading subscription-based online dating sites in 32 countries, in 18 languages and spanning six continents. The site has more than 15 million members globally. Since its launch in 1995, Match.com has led the way in providing adults worldwide with a fun, private and secure environment for meeting each other and finding meaningful relationships. Based on resignation survey data, Match.com calculates that more than 200,000 Match.com members met the person they were seeking on the site in 2003 alone. Match.com powers online dating on MSN across Europe, Asia, the United States, Australia (NineMSN) and Latin America and is the premier provider of personals for Love@AOL, offering the Match.com service across AOL.com and AOL.co.uk. Match.com is an operating business of IAC/InterActiveCorp (NASDAQ: IACI).
SOURCE: Match.com
CONTACT: Kathleen Roldan of Match.com, +1-415-913-3136,
kathleen.roldan@match.com
Web site: http://www.match.com/