Dating app fatigue is real. And people are taking a break from swiping and finding other ways to meet their soulmates. While some might join running clubs or do speed dating, others are getting more creative and outrageous.
For one Philadelphia man, that meant putting up a billboard overlooking a freeway.
David Cline initially only wanted the billboard as a funny thing to do. But the 28-year-old decided to try to find a date, partly due to his frustration with dating apps.
“I don’t think I’m any more frustrated than anyone else,” Cline told Business Insider. “The idea to make it into a date-Dave type thing was a very eleventh-hour decision.”
Putting up a billboard wasn’t too shocking to Cline’s friends and family, who are accustomed to his quirky ways but less public. Cline said his friends even donated to the billboard and loved the idea.
His billboard made the news
The HR data analyst didn’t expect what would ensue when it was unveiled in July.
It was a simple yet straightforward billboard announcing his singledom with his picture and fast facts: He can cook well, has normal hobbies, and owns a cat. The billboard also included a call to action to message him on Instagram.
The “eleventh-hour decision” has elevated his dating prospects, and he’s letting people take a glimpse into his dating journey on his Instagram profile, Date Dave Philly.
It’s a unique dating ad that has gone viral globally, prompting a string of Instagram followers, including those interested in dating him, those cheering him on, and those who do not approve.
He’s received messages from interested prospects around the world. And although he says he’s flattered by the international attention from countries such as Brazil and the Philippines, he wants someone near him.
In addition to living in or around Philadelphia. he’s seeking a person at least 24 years old, with leftist political views, who is not “overly evil,” and who accepts his Pokémon playing. The gamer also enjoys hiking, camping, concerts, and traveling.
The person Cline decides to spend more time with will get the opportunity to indulge in his pasta, grandma’s pies with homemade dough, curries with homemade broth, and sandwiches. They will also get to spend time with his cat, Peach, whom he named after the street he rescued it on.
He’s gone on 5 dates since the billboard went up
Cline considers the billboard a success. He’s gone on five dates and is already planning a few second dates.
He says the way to stand out from the deluge of messages is to pass the vibe check, be direct, and ask for a date.
“That’s very refreshing,” he said. “I don’t have time to go back and forth and message someone in my Instagram DMs. I’m getting a couple hundred a day.”
Not all the attention is positive
The attention has been overwhelming for Cline, who said that news of his unconventional dating method “seems to hit a different part of the world every day.” However, detaching from Instagram helps.
“The second I put my phone down, I’m not viral,” he said. “I can decide not to engage and not be stressed out about it, which is nice.”
That also goes for the negative messages. He’s received comments associating his appearance with that of a serial killer and unsolicited advice on his appearance, including that he needs a haircut and new glasses. Some people have called him desperate, to which he slightly agrees.
“It’s fair to say there’s a certain amount of desperation of you making a billboard for yourself,” he said. “But for the most part, I am just trying to have a fun time, and thankfully, that’s been working out.”
It’s been working out so much that he recommends others put up a billboard dating profile as long as they’re authentic and show their true selves. He attributes his success to showing his genuine personality.
“It was definitely effective,” Cline said. “Way more effective than I thought it ever realistically could be, which is crazy. It’s just crazy.”
The post A man was so tired of dating apps that he put up a billboard with his information. He’s gotten messages from all over the world. appeared first on Business Insider.
