When I am ill, I tend to watch more TV than usual. Last night, while muddling through some Amanda Peet and Ashton Kutcher attempt at romance, I saw a commercial for some 50+ singles website and at first I thought, hmm, this is nice. I think dating websites are stupid, myself; I don’t know anyone personally who’s ever had success with one, and all of my married loved ones met in person. But anything that caters outside the “norm,” or the young WASP couple, is good because we simply don’t see much representation of anyone else in the media, and simply giving anyone else a bit of airtime helps highlight the fact that other types of people are alive, too! Gasp! Yes, Virginia, there is diversity in America.

I actually get older dating sites, because so many typical singles resources, from bars to mixers to everything else, cater to the younger crowd. Middle-aged people might feel ridiculous attending an event where everyone else is 22, living in their parents’ basements, and having a hard time getting their Bonanza references. It should not be that way, but with a few exceptions, it is. So mature dating sites do sort of make sense.

But this particular dating site seemed a bit ridiculous to me. It emphasized how dating should be fun and adventurous, and used an older couple riding a roller coaster together as an example.  I’m not going to make a “But you’ll throw a hip out!” joke a la Ralphie’s mom, but I am going to wonder if this I a bit too much. Do you really need to sell your website by showing people riding roller coasters as life’s biggest adventure?

Is love and intimacy and a possible relationship not enticing enough? I have yet to see a commercial from another dating site that pushes this line of adventure, so why marginalize mature adults? Do you really think that so many people are so desperate to be young that showing them on a roller coaster will make them believe you are selling an elixir of youth—or that said roller coaster ride would even suffice? It seems that even though you are focusing on an older crowd, you are still pushing the young card, just like everyone else selling something.

How about a bit of authenticity with your pitch, mature dating sites? Sure, some people might enjoy roller coasters, but wouldn’t everyone who visits your site enjoy a meaningful relationship—or just someone special to share New Year’s Eve with? I doubt you’ll have to venture farther than that scenario to attract people to your dating website. In fact, being real with your audience is probably the best thing you can do to attract them, while your attempts at pandering a more exciting lifestyle might even turn them off.