After swiping through Tinder, one dating app user noticed something off about a new profile that popped up on their screen.
An image of a woman smiling and holding a Tim Hortons coffee cup seemed like a normal enough profile picture for a dating app. However, the "about me" section is what truly gave away the so-called profile's intentions.
"Sweet as Nutella, looking for someone to go on a Tims Run, get an Iced Capp and split a Nutella Croissant," the description read.
It wasn't a real profile after all, but an ad for Tim Hortons, a Canadian restaurant chain.
Frustrated by the dupe, the Tinder user shared a screenshot of the fake profile advertisement on Reddit, where it received quite a bit of attention.
"I never understood the reason companies would try to trick someone into clicking their ad," wrote one Redditor in response to the fake profile. "It only pisses off the person because now they have to close whatever popped up."
Unfortunately, advertising schemes like this one are a popular strategy some businesses like to utilize to get their brand name in the minds of consumers.
One extremely disturbing strategy is the use of electronic billboards on cars, distracting drivers and creating pollution in the name of potential profit. Electronic billboards have also been spotted on boats along beaches, disrupting the natural beauty and relaxation sought by visitors.
Such advertising inundation, whether in the form of a fake dating app or an electronic billboard, encourages dangerous consumption habits harmful to consumers' wallets. A survey conducted by Ladder and OnePoll found that the average American spends $1,497 a month on non-essential items, adding up to almost $18,000 a year, or over $1 million over the course of a lifetime.
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Absolutely 👍 These habits are also harmful to the planet. As consumers buy more and more products, factories overproduce to keep up with demand, releasing harmful planet-warming gases into the atmosphere. Many factories also produce mass amounts of industrial waste, polluting the environment with unsightly trash and harmful chemicals that leach into the ground and water supply.
Instead of participating in an endless cycle of consumption and waste, buying secondhand offers a more sustainable way to score unique and stylish pieces. Plus, shopping at local thrift stores can be much cheaper. There are also many online alternatives, such as eBay, Poshmark, Mercari, ThredUp, and Depop.
Users on the Reddit post dragged Tim Hortons for their fake Tinder ad.
"That's about as tasteful as their frozen-and-reheated donuts," commented one user.
"That would definitely make me avoid that business," wrote another.
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