One Pitch Deck At A Time: 'Pitch Dating' Where Your Friends Play Matchmakers And Create A PowerPoint Presentation, Is India Ready?

Imagine your friend standing on a stage in a room full of people at a high-end gathering space, flipping through her PowerPoint. In five minutes flat, about 15 colourful slides roll on a screen. No start-up bosses, business angels, or sharks in suits are in attendance. Instead, she is standing in front of a compact crowd of young people: aged between 20 and late thirties–sipping cocktails and eating burgers on low tables.

She isn't there to present the business model of a start-up company. She is talking about a less "corporate" subject: finding the perfect match for you. Interesting, right? Welcome to Pitch Dating, an intriguing trend where people are turning to their closest friends to create detailed PowerPoint presentations (or "pitch decks" in corporate lingo) about them to find a suitable match instead of swiping on dating apps.

How it works

Originally confined to the business world, this ritual of selling a product or project in a short span of time has now entered the dating world: A close friend humorously describes the salient features of their friend onstage. This new form of matchmaking has made its presence in the dating world among millennials and Gen Z. If you wonder what the presentation includes, it has key facts such as hobbies, interests, career aspirations, quirks, and even dating history, about the friend they are 'pitching'.

Interestingly, the pitching happens in a professional manner. Like any official Powerpoint presentation, all the key points are included. For instance, a successful pitch date presentation has humour, sincerity, and structure. It starts with a formal introduction about the friend you are pitching, key qualities (strengths, personality traits, and passions), and some deal breakers, which outline what the person is looking for and what they want to avoid. There's also a slide dedicated to fun facts and stories to showcase the candidate's personality along with a 'why date them' slide.

More Effective Than Dating Apps

"It's not for introverts. Instead of your parents looking for a match for you, your friends are doing it in public, this is even more disturbing. But I think India will have it soon," says Smruti Patwa and agrees that it gives a break from swiping through dating apps. "It is good for those who are not on dating apps since word of mouth works," says Patwa referring to an analogy of 'word of mouth' marketing.

Meeting people at social gatherings can help build strong romantic connections (Representational Image) (Getty Images)

A study done in 2023 by the Pew Research Center found that 62% of singles trust a friend's recommendation more than an algorithm-generated match online. Another study conducted by the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships noted that individuals introduced through mutual friends or structured social settings have a 35% higher success rate in long-term relationships than those who meet through dating apps.

A case study from New York highlighted that a group of professionals who started pitch dating in their friend circles had nearly 40% of participants getting into a relationship over a year. The study also cited that the chances of getting a perfect match increased as they were introduced to a context where their personality and biases were communicated beyond their profile picture and bio.

A Modern Twist to Traditional Matchmaking

Traditionally, matchmaking or even dating relied on meeting people at a party, a function, or at a workspace. However, with technology and the dramatic advent of dating apps, people started relying on algorithms and surface-level impressions. Pitch dating, on the other hand, is a more holistic approach: using social proof, credibility, and personal insight. "It's simpler when friends are talking about you and describing your qualities, they provide a more objective and engaging perspective. They also speak about your attribution which you may not talk about. I think it will help introverts as well," says Abhishek Sharma, a theatre artiste.

Nirtika Pandita, a content writer, counters: "Who would want to be auctioned in a public space where you don't know anyone? If my friend is introducing me to someone in a close friend group, it's a safe place but not in front of outsiders. It's like if your parents are not doing the matchmaking for you, your friends are doing it. It's better to go the former way than being exposed to random people."

Pitching 'You'

To many, this may sound bizarre but the trend has already made headlines across many countries. "This is just like conventional matchmaking, where instead of parents, your friends, who know you best, would take the lead to find you a genuine connection. It's a kind of break for those who have been on dating apps for a long time but haven't been able to find a match. This may work in India because some strong friendships exist but this will be restricted to one strata of society. Pitch dating isn't for everyone," says Shweta Khajanchi, a relationship coach in New Delhi.

Counselling psychologist and marriage counsellor Sheena Bhada says youngsters may see this differently than dating apps. This may give them deeper connections based on compatibility and social status. "It also reduces the chance of direct rejections, therefore, keeping their confidence high. Knowing each other personally is more important for any relationship to survive than just judging one based on a bio," says Bhada.

Pitch dating is a more holistic approach: using social proof, credibility (Representational Image) (Getty Images)

Additionally, a study done by a dating app in India, noted that more singles are experiencing dating app fatigue, and they are moving toward more authentic relationships. "Community-driven dating is what more singles prefer. This is more popular among urban crowds. Meeting people at social gatherings can help build strong romantic connections," says relationship coach Leena Paranjpayee.

Is Pitch Dating Here to Stay?

While Pitch Dating may have audiences in other countries, Indian daters seem apprehensive. It combines the traditional matchmaking approach with a modern update of presenting a friend in a public space, which isn't acceptable to many youngsters. It is yet to be seen if the Indian youth is ready to experiment with this new trend of 'One PPT At A Time'.

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