In a distinctive move to find a lasting connection outside the digital dating world, a 42-year-old woman from San Francisco has opted for a highly visible approach: a billboard campaign. Lisa Catalano, expressing her fatigue with dating app experiences that “never seemed to go anywhere,” has taken out advertisements on a dozen billboards across the city. These eye-catching billboards promote her new website, MarryLisa.com, where interested bachelors can apply to date her. The website offers insights into her hobbies, interests, and what she seeks in a partner.
Catalano admitted her surprise at her own actions, telling People magazine, “I never expected I would do something like this in my life. I’m almost in shock that I did it, really.” The initiative began as a lighthearted jest, stemming from her dating frustrations. “Every time I would get frustrated with how the dating scene in general was, I would spend another five, ten minutes just typing away on my computer, making the website as a little creative outlet,” she explained.
The billboards themselves are designed for impact with a simple yet striking aesthetic: a photograph of Catalano is placed alongside her website URL, presented in a bold yellow font against a stark black background. “I wanted something that was just very simple, to the point, and a little bit eye-catching,” she noted.
Her website includes a detailed application form that delves into potential suitors’ education, occupation, hobbies, and values. Catalano emphasizes that her requirements are not unreasonable. “I don’t think I’m being out of line with my non-negotiables,” she stated. “I want somebody who is looking for a committed, monogamous relationship who would like to try for starting a family. I’m looking for someone who leads a healthy lifestyle.”
She is specifically seeking a partner aged between 35 and 45, who aligns with her views on religion and politics, and who maintains a healthy lifestyle. Since launching the campaign, she has received approximately 1,800 applications, with responses ranging from applicants as young as 19 to as old as 78.
Catalano shared that dating felt “strange” after losing her fiancé in 2023 to a terminal illness, particularly after being in a long-term relationship. While acknowledging the potential effectiveness of dating apps, she felt they weren’t yielding the results she desired. Despite the polarized reactions – some finding her campaign incredible and brave, others critical – Catalano remains optimistic, believing her ideal match might already be among the applicants.