Is this a stunt? Is Illicitencounters.com a spoof website made by a marriage guidance website or something? Or a new campaign for the Alpha Course, to shock people into then wanting to be indoctrinated in the ways of God-like fidelity?

Apparently not. According to Campaign, “IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extra-marital dating site, is
on the hunt for creative and media buying agencies that can help it
with the tricky task of getting ads into mainstream media. The site, which aims to provide a safe and non-judgmental environment
where married men and women can meet each other, currently has over
450,000 members in the UK, and is looking to expand its database
through a series of mainstream ad campaigns.”

And they say Romance is dead. I thought online dating sounded bad enough, but online extra-marital online dating, that’s taking desperation to a whole new level isn’t it?

What’s that old saying, ‘you can’t hurry extra-marital love?’ You know, ‘Don’t go looking, you just wait for affairs to happen naturally, when you least expect it…’

Ok, so these sites exist. But I sincerely hope no agency wants to pitch for them. I mean, yes Advertising is kind of a moral vortex at the best of times, but I can’t imagine anyone wanting to work on this? Cigarettes and fur seem hugely ethical suddenly.

Perhaps they don’t need an agency. Maybe they just need to take the previous Match.com or campaign and insert the word ‘extra-marital’ at every touchpoint. e.g. Don’t wait for Cupid and Fate. Get out there and ‘Make Adultery Happen.’ etc etc. 

Sorry, rant over.