- Just before Valentine's Day, International Flirting Week kicks off on February 13th. Canadian singles and couples alike should celebrate the occasion according to the Zoosk.com Facts on Flirting Report! -
TORONTO, Feb. 7, 2013 /CNW/ - Don't have a Valentine? Better get flirting! Had one lined up for a while? Even more reason to get at it - and remember to keep it up even after the romantic frenzy of the season has faded. The Zoosk.com Facts on Flirting Report (released to celebrate International Flirting Week: February 13 - 19, 2013) revealed that regular flirtation is more important to your relationship than any special plans you may have for Valentine's Day.
Nine-in-ten Canadians say flirting is important in order to keep the romance alive in their relationship; two-thirds say it's more important than grand gestures for special occasions.
"I love that Canadians recognize a successful relationship is based on more than just one day of grand displays of affection," says Jane Barrett, Director of Marketing at Zoosk. "It's great to have something special lined up for Valentine's Day - but don't put too much pressure on the night. It's the small, flirty gestures between occasions that really let your partner know that you don't take for granted what a catch you have!"
Canadians flirt most regularly in face-to-face interaction (58%). Phone calls are not a popular way to flirt (4%), but a phone is an important flirting tool, as one-quarter of women flirt most regularly through text message.
Based on the most popular ways that Canadians tend to flirt, Barrett offers the following advice:
- In person: Stick to light, happy topics. Smile and maintain eye-contact. Remember the point of flirting is that it's fun - so have fun together! When you're in a crowd, share an inside joke and look for excuses to touch. Make it feel like you're the only two people there, even if you're surrounded by others.
- Online message or e-mail: Be careful with this one! It's fun to receive a flirty message - but you don't want to put someone in an awkward spot if their co-worker happens to be looking over their shoulder when it lands in their inbox.
- Text message: A text message is a great way to surprise someone in the middle of the day and let them know you're thinking of them. It's important to keep your message short; luckily an emoticon speaks a thousand words (think winky-face!).
Can flirting just be harmless fun?
Canadians think it's important to flirt with their partner. How do they feel when other people try to flirt with them too? Men actually revel in seeing that their mate is the object of someone else's desire (59%). However, the majority of Canadians don't think their partner should reciprocate if someone is flirting with them (56% of men and 65% of women).
Two-thirds (64%) of Canadians say that if they're in a relationship they don't flirt with anyone but their partner. However, there are some Canadians who think it can be harmless fun (25%), or fine to do as long as it's not in front of their partner (16%).
Favourite flirts:
If hoping to win over a special someone, singles should flex their flirty muscles too. Eighty-six percent of Canadians say flirting can help find a good match.
Ninety-seven per cent of Canadians enjoy being flirted with and selected their favourite types of flirting as:
- Verbal compliments
- Subtle physical touches (e.g. on the arm or back)
- Playful teasing
But - not everyone gets it right and Canadians list some turn-offs to avoid. The top complaint was that people come on too strong and invade personal space. Another turn-off for women is if someone comes across as overly sexual. Men are put-off by corny pick-up lines (which wasn't as big a turn-off for women!).
"You can usually gauge from someone's reaction whether they appreciate your flirting," says Barrett. "If they're not flirting back, or seem at all uncomfortable, it's wise to ease off. When it comes to flirting, one person may initiate, but it ultimately takes two to tango!"
Link to Report
Additional Canadian results from the Zoosk.com Facts on Flirting Report are available here: LINK
About the Zoosk.com Facts on Flirting Report
In order to collect data for the Facts on Flirting report, Zoosk conducted an online survey in January 2013. The survey garnered 13,611 responses from members of Zoosk in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Italy, United Kingdom, United States, and Sweden. The sample included 1,555 Canadians.
About Zoosk
Zoosk is the romantic social network that helps members create and share their romantic journeys, with millions of members from around the globe enjoying the service each month. Zoosk provides members at different stages of their romantic journey with a fun and social set of tools such as Romantic Moments, Couple Profiles, and the Personals application. Members can easily access Zoosk's services from its website, its Facebook app, mobile devices, and a downloadable desktop application. Zoosk is available in 25 languages and has members in more than 70 countries. Founded in 2007 by Shayan Zadeh and Alex Mehr, Zoosk, Inc. is based in San Francisco and backed by Canaan Partners, Bessemer Venture Partners, and ATA Ventures.
SOURCE: Zoosk
Sinead Brown
[email protected]
416-413-5193
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