If you walk into your local Starbucks on February 13, you may be in for a surprise. Millions of coffee dates are scheduled to take place in Starbucks coffee shops around the world all thanks to a new partnership between the coffee colossal and online dating pioneer Mach.com. The partnership is a natural extension of what’s already happening among singles, according to Match. The mega brands are joining forces for Match.com’s first-ever branded product feature in conjunction with what they hope to be “the world’s largest Starbucks date” in honor of Valentine’s Day on February 14.
As found in Mintel’s Digital Trends US 2014 report, the share of online US adults that use online dating services rose from 10% in 2013 to 14% in 2014, part of a long-term growth pattern that is projected to increase in 2015 and beyond. A variety of desirable demographics show elevated usage of online dating services in the US, including men age 18-34 (33%), 25-34s (27%), and those from households with $100-$149.9K in annual income (20%). The UK online dating market has also grown considerably over the last five years, up by 73.5% since 2009, according to Mintel’s Online Dating UK 2015 report. Over a quarter of UK consumers have met new partners or dates using dating websites or apps, making it the fourth most common method of meeting people.
The Match.com feature, called “Meet at Starbucks,” is currently available to subscribers, and enables users to invite others for a cup of coffee. Starbucks see the partnership as a way to celebrate what the company already encourages: connection. From a branding and business perspective, the partnership makes sense, with 30% of Match.com’s 3 million users listing “coffee & conversation” as an interest.
With the global online dating market growing, it will be interesting to see how receptive consumers are to the “world’s largest Starbucks date” event, and if successful, if other brands team up for similar partnerships in the future.
