• by Les Luchter , Staff Writer, October 16, 2023

Looking for something to do, for two? Have you checked Eventbrite?

The event organizing and ticketing app wants “to become that go-to destination for those looking for unique experiences,” according to Tamara Mendelsohn, Eventbrite’s chief marketing officer.

Yet last week, when I received a phone notification from Eventbrite stating, “Dating shouldn’t be boring. Shake up your plans at events in NYC” -- followed by an email advising that “TV personality Tyler Cameron has date ideas for you” -- my first thought was “I’m married. I’m not in the dating market.”

However, after checking my Eventbrite history and noticing how many past events I had bought for two people, I had to concede that I do go on dates -- just with my wife.

Still, Eventbrite’s new “GTFO and Date” campaign seems to be mainly targeting singles.

Mendelsohn confirms to Marketing Daily that Eventbrite is now actively targeting the dating market due to a “growing demand” and “consistent uptick” in the space. For example, she says, Eventbrite saw an 83% increase year-over-year in attendance to “singles” events and a 21% spike in searches for “speed dating” events during the first half of 2023.

The new collaboration with Cameron -- whose claim to fame rests largely on his finishing as a runner-up on ABC’s “The Bachelorette” a few years back – includes social media posts from the star, blog posts (and apparently emails) from Eventbrite, and  TikTok posts where 93-year-old influencer Grandma Droniak ogles him.

Eventbrite has both a GTFO landing page, announcing that “Cuffing season is here,” as well as a Cameron page that includes the celeb’s “personal tips and experiences” like “Don't stick to the same old date spots. Doing something kinda under-the-radar feels like a secret. Plus, it's way more original than dinner and drinks.”

Cameron’s page also highlights suggested events nationwide, and separate GTFO and Date listings are provided for several locations, including New York City (Tuesday’s recommendation: a “Taco Tuesday Gamer Night”), Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London and Washington, DC.

Mendelsohn explains that Eventbrite not only wants to enable connections but to inspire daters “with fun and engaging ideas for things to do.”

And, no, Eventbrite is not trying to compete with dating apps.

“While dating apps provide a fantastic platform for initial connections,” Mendelsohn says, “we see the Eventbrite experience as a complementary step in the journey to meaningful connections…Once people connect online, they can turn to Eventbrite to seamlessly transition those connections into real-life enjoyable experiences.”

Indeed, Mendelsohn says she sees dating apps as providing “opportunities for collaboration [with us]…complementing each other’s strengths to create a holistic and enjoyable dating landscape.”