On Valentine's Day, French retailer Fnac hosted what it billed as its first-ever cultural speed dating event at its Callao flagship in central Madrid.
Participants signed up, picked a passion — music, film and TV, books, video games, or manga and anime — and were matched for a series of rapid-fire five-to-seven-minute conversations with strangers who shared their interests. No algorithms, no swiping. Just two people, a shared obsession, and a ticking clock. Those who felt a spark were encouraged to exchange contact details on the spot or, for the shy, leave a handwritten note.
The framing was playful and deliberately low-pressure. Fnac made no promises of romance, only that attendees would "go home with a new title on their to-read list." By anchoring the experience in cultural interests rather than physical attraction or curated bios, the retailer sidestepped the transactional awkwardness that can plague traditional speed dating. It also gave itself a natural role as host — a bookstore-meets-record-shop is arguably one of the few retail environments where bonding over a favorite film or a heartbreaking anime feels completely organic.
TREND BITE
Fnac's speed dating event sits at the intersection of two currents reshaping how brands can create value in physical spaces. The first is the growing appetite for IRL connection among younger consumers weary of app-mediated dating and algorithmically filtered social lives. The second is the ongoing reinvention of brick-and-mortar retail as a venue for experiences that screens simply can't replicate. By turning its store into a meeting ground organized around shared passions, Fnac transforms a Valentine's Day marketing moment into something with longer legs: a reason for new customers to walk through the door, linger and associate the brand with genuine human connection rather than just transactions.