PerfectMatch has put out a press release pitting itself against eHarmony. Talk about David vs. Golaith.
From the press release:
…But as both companies continue to build a loyal following, a closer examination of their respective strategies and matching technologies reveals a fundamental difference that could determine which company wins the online relationship race over the long haul.
Duane Dahl, founder and CEO, PerfectMatch.com:
They’ve spent a tremendous amount of money, but money doesn’t necessarily mean success for eHarmony’s members. We are gaining ground quickly in part due to their well-documented matching deficiencies and their exclusionary practices…But we never discount the potential horse race eHarmony may give us. With their recent $110 million round of funding on a $350 million pre-valuation, the days ahead will be challenging. With Dr. Schwartz, DUET and our seasoned management staff, we’re confident that PerfectMatch.com will not only continue to grow, but will surpass eHarmony. It’s definitely not about who can afford the most TV ads. The secret is providing existing and future members better relationships, better support and ultimately, the love they’ve been searching for.
Dahl does a great job spinning the success of eHarmony into a nice red carpet repeat for his previous success in the online dating space. $350 million pre-evaluation!
The mudslinging over who’s got the better compatability/matching system is reaching near-hysterical levels. Mark Brooks is going to do a shootout sometime soon, can’t wait to read the results.
PerfectMatch has something called a SmutBot to aggressively screen out inappropriate adult content. I wonder if an application on the server can do the job of the 50 or so people that MatchNet, I mean SparksNetwork, Match and Yahoo employ to clean up profiles?
PerfectMatch is owned by MarketRange, which raised $7 million last summer from Ignition Partners and Mellon Ventures. That’s how much SpringStreet raised two summer ago. More here.
Has anyone seen the PerfectMatch infomercial with Josie Bissett and Pepper Schwartz?
