OkCupid helps Indians own their own romantic choices

Dating technology has come such a long way. Look back at how awfully unappealing and clinical the website for eHarmony was back in 2011, compared to how it looks today. 

Now OkCupid, the American company founded in the early 2000s, which is launching its first 360-degree campaign in India, not only has a highly engaging website and app but has even added an element of social purpose to its mission, encouraging Indian millennials to enjoy freedom of choice. 

Hoping to break down stubborn patriarchal values and outdated perceptions of gender roles, the "Find My Kind" campaign by BBH India was developed in response to answers given to questions by users of the app. They showed that 92% of Indians feel their values are greatly different from those of their parents; and 67% would rather find a relationship using a dating app than be set up by family or friends, as used to be more traditional. 

The results also show changing opinions about marriage, with 68% believing it is not mandatory for people in love, and gender roles, with 72% saying that traditional versions of these have no place in their lives. 

Ad Nut loves the way these insights are converted into relateable 'choices' in the one-minute TVC, with the couple featured getting to answer questions that show both how they really feel about things in life while at the same time taking a small dig at outdated ways of thinking, such as "Do clothes define who you are? Yes or No." App users are also offered a variety of such questions to help imporve the accuracy of their match.  

OkCupid India brand manager Shuti Gupta says the campaign celebrates "people who are expressing their own preferences", and says the brand is one of the only ones in India to cater to "the holistic expectations of Indian millennials who want a genuine partnership based on shared values." 

The TVC will run on major channels in India, with the outdoor and print campaigns (example below) in Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru and Mumbai, giving a new take on Indian matrimonial listings. 

The mission of the campaign will also extend further with a tour by an all-female comedy group, featuring the comedians Urooj Ashfaq, Aishwarya Mohanraj, Supriya Joshi and more in a show called 'OkCupid, My Kind of Funny', focusing on dating and relationships. 

Ad Nut is sold. This is perfect advertising for a product, with efforts to empower that products' users at the same time. YouTube users love everything about it, from the music to wanting to know who the actors are (perhaps in hopes of finding them on the app). One even goes so far as to comment "Probably the best ad i have ever seen. Period. ❤". 

CREDITS

Agency - BBH India
Chief Creative Officer & Managing Partner - Russell Barrett
CEO & Managing Partner - Subhash Kamath
Managing Director - Arvind Krishnan
Head of Planning - Sanjay Sharma
Executive Creative Director - Vasudha Misra
Copy - Ttarangg Manoj, Vasudha Misra
Art - Rodrigues Robert, Aastha Gupta
Agency Producer - Reema Asrani
Senior Strategist: Amrita Korwar
Business Director - Rajat Pandey
Business Partner - Sankalp Anand
Production House - Good Morning Films
Executive Producer - Vikram Kalra
Director - Shashank Chaturvedi (Bob)
Producer - Robin D'Cruz
DOP - Karthik Vijay
Actors - Gurbani Gill and Vishwas Kini (of Veere Di Wedding fame)
Music Director: Abhishek Arora
Singers: Clinton Cerejo and Yashica Sikka

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