OPW - Feb 1 - The Annual iDate Awards are out. Here are the highlights.
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OPW - Apr 9 - The Internet Dating Excellence Association World Officers Weekend happened over the weekend, and the IDEA SUMMIT happened Monday. Here's video summaries of our adventures in Chennai.
Day 1
Day 2
IDEA SUMMIT was a closed door event. It was a very full day of learning and sharing. 14 presentations were made by the CEO/Founder of Matrimony, CEO of Mamba, Chief Mobile Officer of Matrimony, CEO/Founder of Lunch Actually, CMO of Woo, CEO/Founder of Agape Match, CEO of LoveMe, MD of Insparx, Owner of SuccessfulMatch, Owner of Hubpeople, Co-founder of LoveMe, MD of Mamba, and CEO of BetterHalf.ai.
You can see the full information and line up here. Now we're working on the next event.
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OPW - Jan 26 - The 2018 iDate Awards winners were announced and provided trophies at a ceremony during iDate (Internet dating conference) this week. The iDate Awards are the dating industry's most recognized awards, highlighting the best and most innovative aspects of the business.
The 2018 winners are:
Best Dating Site
eHarmony
Best Dating Coach
Carmelia Ray
Best Product Design
Diolli
Best Dating Software & SAAS Provider
Dating Pro
Best Mobile Dating App
The League
Best Matchmaker
Gillian McCallum (Drawing Down the Moon)
Most Innovative Company
eHarmony
Best New Technology
iSpingle.com
Best Payment System
CCBill
Best Affiliate Program
LoveMe
Best Marketing Campaign
Tinder
Best Up and Coming Dating Site
SingleWomen.international
Best Niche Dating Site
Single Muslim
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OPW - Apr 24 - From Jonathan Narducci's Powershot Productions comes the latest expose into the world of international romance tours. “Love Me - The Documentary,” collaboration between Powershot and A Foreign Affair, (whose website, loveme.com, inspired the name of the film) will debut this month at the Toronto Film Festival.
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OPW INTERVIEW - Feb 26 - AForeignAffair is an International dating service that connects women from Russia, Latin America and Asia with guys around the world. John Adams is the CEO and Founder. I asked him about the genesis and nature of his company. - Mark Brooks
What is the founding story of AForeignAffair?
AForeignAffair started in 1995 by myself, Ken Agee, and Ron Redburn. Back then newspapers had personal ads where women were seeking men, men seeking women, but you never really knew what the people looked like. We thought it would be great to put photos out there so people could actually see a photo before they meet.
We launched on the BBS system thinking we would do it locally in Phoenix. Then we discovered the Internet, and we thought: “Wow we can do this on a global basis.” We sent Ken to Russia to see if there was going to be any interest from the women to meet Americans. He was very pleased with the reception that he got there. That was kind of the beginning and we started first in St. Petersburg, Russia and Ukraine and then Colombia and all over.
This seems like a very different industry than the Internet dating industry. How would you define it?
I would call it the International introduction industry. For people to be successful they're going to have to travel outside the county. I think there is a lot of ignorance in that. Once you start looking at the men and the women who use this, a lot of that ignorance melts away and you understand that these are just normal people trying to find that special someone.
What countries are you in?
We are in Russia, Ukraine, Peru, Cost Rica, Columbia, China, Dominican Republic, and others.
It really seems like the opposite of Internet dating, because most Internet daters don't want to travel more than 20 miles.
According to studies, these relationships tend to last longer than domestic relationships. One of the reasons for that is the fact that it does take more effort, it does take more commitment to make something like this work.
So how's your National Geographic promotion happening?
We've always been open to the media. National Geographic is just another step in that progression of opening access and trying to illuminate this industry.
They did a wonderful job. I was there... Nothing was scripted, everything was as you see it. They had three separate crews, they were following the guys as they were going on the different dates, they were filming the dates, the socials, the reactions after the dates. Some were good and some were bad. It's not all fairy dust and blue birds singing around your head. It's about going over there and having options. You still have to make something happen.
What do you think this industry is going to look like in 5 years time? What's your vision of the future for AForeignAffair?
I think it is going to become more mainstream. Our world is becoming smaller every day; we can communicate so much easier and it's instant and transparent. In order to be successful, you have to provide more customer service to both the men and the women, and more functionality. Not just introducing them, but helping them through the whole dating process, and helping them to be successful in marrying.
How do you think the idating industry can work with this industry? There must be a way for the two to work together.
I think there is. We've talked to some of the local matchmaking companies, some of the more traditional ones, and we are still in talks with some. Partnering with us will allow them to offer more options to their clients.
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PRESS RELEASE - Jan 8 - A Foreign Affair, the international dating agency, is the focus of a new reality show on The National Geographic Channel that will premiere on Saturday, January 12th, 2013 at 11:00 pm EST (9:00 pm MST). The show is entitled “Bachelors Abroad” and follows A Foreign Affair tour clients as they participate in the company’s international romance tours.
The full article was originally published at National Geographic Channel, but is no longer available.
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ABC NEWS - Aug 19 - After using A Foreign Affair to strike up online dialogs with a few dozen women, Bob Wray, 66, will pay the company ~$4,000 to fly to Odessa, Ukraine, and meet them and other potential brides. The promise offered by A Foreign Affair's website is bolstered by the experience of the company's founder. Seventeen years ago, John Adams saw that the rise of the Internet and the fall of the Soviet Union created a rich matchmaking opportunity. He set up a mixer in Kiev where he himself met his Mrs. Right.
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MYFOXNY - Feb 14 - A growing number of American men are turning to international matchmakers, commonly known as mail-order bride services. A Foreign Affair is an international matchmaking company The company's website is filled with seductive photos of beautiful young women from around the world. Russia, Ukraine, Colombia, the Philippines. There are all-inclusive trips abroad, where customers enjoy all-night parties, filled with lots of foreign women. These so-called mail order marriages are on the rise in this country. According to one non-profit group, the number has more than doubled over the last decade or so. But not everyone is a fan of the international matchmaking business. The Tahirih Justice Center believes foreign brides are particularly vulnerable to abuse once they come to America. Not all of those relationships have a happy ending. FULL ARTICLE @ MYFOXNY
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