Media Falls For Viral Hook, Line, Sinker

Intended to look like a bunch of fellow employees helping a 31 year old, un-married co-worker find a date by placing a billboard and creating an accompanying website, the effort, created by Lindon, Utah-based logo design company LogoWorks turns out, apparently, to be a LogoWorks recruitment campaign as indicated by the DateLance website copy which reads, "You don't have to DateLance to meet Lance. You can work with him," followed by, surprise, a link to the recruitment section of LogoWorks. Also indicative this is marketing ploy is the DateLance.com disclaimer mice type which reads, in part, "You may not use DateLance.com if you 1) do not have a sense of humor 2) fear rejection."

Humorously and the the unmitigated glee of LogoWorks, hundreds of news organizations took the bait and reported the story straight singing the campaign-induced "guy needs date, friends help with kooky campaign" tune. Even the Washington Post ran the story, headlined, "Friends Mount Billboard for Bachelor."