The two-minute ad pairs up potential 'dates' based purely on the contents of their baskets, with psychotherapist and matchmaker Rachel Morris examining the items in question and suggesting suitable matches.
"Can your shopping basket help you find love?" the ad asks. "We wanted to find out..."
Morris' observations include: "These two will go together because all they want to do is sit and chat and have a couple of nuts", and "'Cleaning guy' can go and spend some time with 'domestic lady'".
After meeting for the first time in the aisles of Tesco, the couples are sent on a date with one another, with mixed results.
Reaction to the campaign has also been mixed, with many Twitter users impressed, and others less so.
@Miiss Adama was keen, describing the ad as "amazing":
That tesco basket dating ad was amazing
— Adamaaaa™ (@MiissAdama) February 8, 2016
Other tweeters were also fans of the ad:
Tesco Have Gone Into The Dating Game! Basket Dating! Love It xXx https://t.co/BWQtXThIoP
— Natalie Solanke (@NatalieSolanke) February 8, 2016
But @Taylor Wright was less than impressed:
Tesco basket dating wtf man
— Taylor Wright (@TaylorWrightt) February 7, 2016
@Pauline Shilina was a bit more analytical in her disapproval. "Can the commercialisation of Valentine’s Day get any more ridiculous?" she asked.
so tesco's got this new ad "basket dating". can the commercialisation of Valentine's Day get even more ridiculous?
— Pauline Shilina (@polishn) February 7, 2016
The ad is running on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and other online channels.
Brand: Tesco
Agency: BBH Live
Creatives: Kate Murphy, Mara Vidal, Caroline Pay
