Global Love Report – June 2, 2021
A translated article by Pamela Stephanie
To find a date has been a lot more difficult now that we haven’t been able to go to the restaurant, the pub or the club for months. That’s what Ilse Jespers has noticed. That’s why the matchmaker from Breda came up with a new initiative: she drives singles around in a car on the street to look for “the one”.
Next level flirting, that’s what Ilse is calling the concept. She drives around in a black car with red hearts, in search of singles on the streets. In the backseat is a single man or woman who wants to be matched.
Driving around for an hour
“Beforehand, I do an intake interview with each candidate to find out what he or she is looking for,” Ilse tells EditieNL. “Based on this, we draw up a profile. Then we plan a trip of one hour. We do this in the candidate’s hometown.”
When the bachelor/bachelorette sees a potential date Ilse drives over there, opens the window and a sign appears with the question: are you single? If the answer is yes, then a second sign is taken out: am I your type?
Fishing Rod
If that question is answered positively, a long fishing rod appears where a business card of the dating agency is handed over. “The passerby can then look up the candidate’s profile on my website to see more information, and can report to me if they’re interested. Then I screen the messages to see if there are any matches.”
Yesterday, the 36-year-old matchmaker had the first two rides: one with Stijn (27) and one with Kiki (30). “The people on the street responded very nicely. For the candidates it might be strange to talk to someone this way, but you get used to it quickly and because you are sitting in a car, it feels fairly anonymous.”
Pleasant Ride
People laughed a lot in the card, according to Ilse. “We kept shouting, ‘Hey, that’s another one, we have to go there!’ But sometimes that person turns out not be a match at all when they turned around,” she said. “It’s just funny.”
The new concept is an accessible way to meet potential dates, according to Ilse. “I notice that young people find it very difficult during corona. All of the people that they see, they know: family, coworkers and maybe a neighbor. But where can you find a new partner?”
Outside Brabant
Although her company is called Matchmaker Brabant, people from other provinces can also register for a car ride. “I live in Breda but can easily go somewhere. Only Groningen and Friesland would be difficult, at best, If I receive several registrations there I can combine them.”
To read the original article (in Dutch) on this new matchmaking tactic of driving clients around their hometown, please click here.
Original article written by RTL Nieuws.
