Is love really blind?
Background
Can you fall in love with someone you’ve never seen? In Love is Blind, singles search for real love without ever laying eyes on each other. They date in so-called pods, separated by a thin wall, and have nothing to go on but conversation and connection. After editions in the United States, the United Kingdom and Poland, among others, the hit series launched its very first Dutch edition this autumn, hosted by Nicolette van Dam and Bas Smit.
The best way to understand the experiment? Experience it yourself. So the pods left the show and stepped into the real world. The concept and creative came from Polish agency Cudo, where the idea had previously come to life in Poland. Megawatt was asked to bring the concept to the Netherlands, tailor it to the Dutch market and roll it out down to the last detail. Because does this unique dating experiment work for the Dutch, too?
Approach
Adapting an existing concept to a new market sounds simple, but it’s all in the details. Megawatt took care of the full production and activation: from customising the concept for the Netherlands to building, transport, set-up and event management. Right in the middle of Hoog Catharijne in Utrecht, two soundproof pods appeared. Just like in the show, they were separated by a wall and each had its own entrance, so daters couldn’t catch a glimpse of each other in the queue. Inside, a comfortable chair, atmospheric lighting and a tablet with conversation starters set the right date mood. Glass panels let onlookers watch, but not listen in. What happens in the pod, stays in the pod.
For three days, any single aged 18+ could sign up on the spot. Create a profile, fill in your preferences and wait for that one text message: we’ve found a match for you. Then came a blind date of exactly five minutes. If both daters said ‘yes’, the doors opened and they met face to face for the very first time. If not, they left the pod the way they came in: unseen.
A dating experiment takes more than a well-built pod. It takes sensitivity. Our team of hosts guided every participant from sign-up to the big reveal (or not): warm, discreet and always with privacy and safety in mind. Because however confident you are, you’re bound to feel a few butterflies when you’re about to date someone you’ve never seen. Meanwhile, Truus kept the buzz going online with social content and influencers.
Result
At Netflix, it’s not about hard numbers, but about the ultimate experience. For three days, the pods drew curious onlookers, nervous faces in the waiting area and plenty of conversations about the question at the heart of the show. In the very week the second part of the series dropped, the Netherlands could not only watch the experiment, but experience it first-hand.
Three agencies, two countries, one concept: thanks to short lines of communication and tight collaboration, Utrecht got an activation that fit the series seamlessly. Whether love is truly blind, we’ll happily leave to the viewers. We’ve found our match, anyway: this collaboration ;-).
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