The recent project to come out of magazine powerhouse Conde Nast is rather surprising given that just last week they announced that three of their popular magazines were on the chopping block—axe-poised and ready.
The latest endeavor for the label is the Conde Nast dating website TrulyMadlyDating.com where the aim is to "unite glamorous girls with fashion-conscious GQ-reading boys to create matches made in style heaven."
The Conde Nast dating website features the usual run-of-the-mill users, except this time, unlike Plenty Of Fish, the membership is not free. For $30 a month, you can meet your match "made in style heaven." Uhm, I preferred the magazine, myself.
I wonder what prompted the magazine to take a foray into the uncharted territories of dating. Sometimes it is better to stick with what you’re good at and Conde Nast’s forte is fashion, style and luxury.
My favorite part about the Conde Nast dating website is that it comes "highly recommended" from magazines such as GQ which, incidentally, Conde Nast happens to own. Conflict of interest, maybe?
I also enjoy that in the "success" part of the Conde Nast dating website, there is only one story. $30/month for those kinds of odds? No thank you. I have my suspicions that my "match made is style heaven" happens to be more gay than a patent leather Prada bag full of fairy dust and rainbows.
Fashion Match-Making
The Conde Nast Dating Website Aims to Create Matches in Style Heaven
Trend Themes
1. Fashion Match-making - The rise of premium dating sites with a focus on matching based on fashion and style preferences opens up opportunities for high-end fashion brands to form strategic partnerships with these sites.
2. Subscription-based Dating Sites - The trend towards subscription-based dating sites, as opposed to free ones, presents opportunities for luxury brands to target a specific audience that is willing to pay for exclusive content and experiences.
3. Vertical Integration in Publishing - Conde Nast's foray into the dating world through TrulyMadlyDating.com suggests that media companies may be seeking ways to vertically integrate their brand offerings and extend their reach into new markets.
Industry Implications
1. High-end Clothing - Opportunities exist for high-end clothing brands to form strategic partnerships with premium dating sites, creating synergies between fashion preferences of site users and brand offerings.
2. Digital Publishing - The emergence of Conde Nast's dating site illustrates the potential for print publishing companies to expand their digital reach through ventures in adjacent markets.
3. Online Dating - The growing trend towards subscription-based dating sites with targeted audiences creates opportunities for innovation in online dating platforms and services, including niche offerings and enhanced mobile experiences.