New Dimensions: Dating in the 80s

The time my in-laws invented VHS Match.com

Over Christmas break, our family was sitting around watching a beloved show, CBS Sunday Morning with Jane Pauley and Phil Donahue was mentioned during the Hails and Farewells section because he passed away this year. For those of you, like me, who didn’t know what the Phil Donahue Show was, I gathered from my father-in-law’s explanation, that it was my generation, Ricki Lake or Jerry Springer. For those of you too young to know those glory days of baby mama drama, it was an American Talk Show on controversial topics and people running from the 1960s-1990s.

“Janis, remember that guy from the Phil Donahue Show that flew into Oklahoma City and tried to sell us his video dating franchise when Duncan was a baby,” Terry interjected.

If you’re ever lucky enough to meet the Reeds, you will quickly learn their run-of-the-mill reminiscing on old family stories is far from such and this is a typical line from Terry. Terry also has a photographic memory and can tell you every detail of every story since he was about three years old. A quick memory or dinner conversation might lead to the plot of a popular blockbuster movie like American Made starring Tom Cruise or recap portions of my father-in-law’s firsthand account of his time in the CIA that later turned into a best-selling book he authored in 1994, Compromised: Clinton, Bush, and the CIA.

My curiosity peaked about where this story was going . However, my husband, Duncan took that as his cue to go running since he had heard the stories more than a few times. I wanted to know more, so I pulled on that thread.

“Well, Dad did you buy the video-dating franchise?” I asked.

“No, I called the guy’s 800 number and he flew into the pilot lounge to meet with me in Oklahoma. All he had was a 3-ring binder with some forms. The dating matches were manual and weren’t even based on anything academic or scientific, so we turned down his offer,” Terry explained.

The Reeds are from Missouri, so I was curious how they both ended up in Oklahoma City. The Oil Boom in the 80s brought many young professionals to the area, like my in-laws. Terry was working in the machine tool Industry and Janis was a successful real estate agent. They were in their early 30s, had been married about a year and a half, and had just welcomed, their first of three sons into the world, Duncan (my husband). Janis was looking for more flexible career options, that didn’t require dragging a baby around while listing and showing houses. This is where the idea for the dating company began.

They began thinking more about the need for a video-style dating company that catered to young, high-end professionals in Oklahoma City, tired of the bar scene and too busy in their careers to waste time on a date to which they weren’t compatible. Either due to nonexistence or the fact they didn’t like their original video-dating franchise options for the reasons Terry mentioned above, they spent some time in the Oklahoma City Public Library researching love and compatibility. They came across the published works of two local professors at Oklahoma University (OU) who had co-written a work on just that topic, compatibility. Terry called them and scheduled an in-person meeting at OU. At the same time, he and Janis met with a computer programmer to discuss building a program based on the compatibility research that would be able to automate the dating matches. The two OU professors were so flattered that someone wanted to develop their work further and signed the release to their rights on their compatibility research. That research would subsequently allow the Reeds to develop the computer software that would be the basis for a company called, New Dimensions.

Pausing to let some of you business-minded readers let that sink in.

“So they just gave away the rights to their research?” I shockingly questioned.

“Yeah, they were just so happy someone wanted to further their work and their book sales later soared in the local area due to the company’s success,” Terry responded.

Terry reminded me, that this was the early 80s, computers and video equipment were still very new, so thinking about rights to develop your intellectual property into computer software was a new concept.

“So, your lawyer drafted a release and these professors just gave you the rights to the research? So what you’re saying Dad is, you just developed and copyrighted the intellectual property for one of the earliest computer programs for dating?” I questioned astonished.

“Yes,” Terry laughed proudly.

“So, you and Janis invented the 80s version of Match.com?” I asked.

“Yes and regrettably sold it,” Terry said still smiling.

“So, how did it work?” I probed further.

Terry explained that in about 1983, we bought some high-end video recording equipment and VCRs. They already had a nice office in downtown Oklahoma City and used the compatibility key from the OU professor's research to develop 236 questions into the software that would match clients in 5 compatibility areas. The questions were mixed so clients didn’t know which area they were answering at the time and then the computer gave a compatibility percentage. The company and the research recommended that you only meet someone that you had a 70% match or higher.

Terry said that the clients would come in and record a video interview that Janis would conduct with them and they would record on a VHS tape. If a client received a 70% match then they were allowed to view the VHS interview recording of their matches. All of the clients were categorized by number to ensure privacy. It was very important to the Reeds that no one was ever forcibly matched with a date that they didn’t agree to.

“So if they had a 70% match, then they could watch the video VHS interviews in the office in a private viewing room, and if they liked …… let’s say number 92, 44, and 12, they would do what?” I asked.

“They would write on a little request card which numbers of the cross-matches they were interested in going on a date with and then our staff would help them schedule the first date. This was the first time they would get a name and number of anyone when both agreed to meet,” said Terry.

“Janis come tell Britney about what happened with New Dimensions,” Terry requested.

Janis walked in in the middle of getting ready and talked a bit about how nervous clients were, especially women who came in. They both agreed it was important that a female lead the customer service piece. Janis wrote all the video interview questions and conducted all the interviews to make clients feel at ease. When a client first came in they were signing up for a 3-month trial with the option to extend. Once they paid the fee they were entitled to two recorded video interviews for $25 and they could watch as many of the recorded videos that they were cross-matched with as long as they were a 70% compatibility match. The two recordings allowed people to change clothes and practice if they were nervous the first time they were interviewed.

“Do you have a match that you were particularly proud of?” I beamed, always a sucker for a love story.

“Well, we had lots of marriages, but there was a 60-year-old school teacher who had never been married that I remember most. She had called to ask if there was an age limit. I told her no, but also explained to her that the majority of the dating pool would be much younger. She was matched with a truck driver that was her age and they later were married. They attributed the success to New Dimensions and were later interviewed by a local newspaper and a national TV station about their love story.” Janis reminisced.

“Let’s go to the funny part now,” Terry interrupted. “We did all of our radio advertisements and people thought we were running a….um….what’s the word for like high-end prostitution?” Terry asked laughing.

I’ve been married into the Reed family for a decade now and know Dad loves shock humor.

I replied without missing a beat, “Whore house. Hookers. Brothel. Puff Daddy.”

“No, um….escort service,” Terry recalled.

Back to the 80s. New Dimensions and video-style dating services were a brand new concept. They had to overcome some impressions that they weren’t some type of escort service and ensure privacy. The client roster was growing with over 350 clients and they were positive cash flow in 3 months, which is unheard of for new companies. So, they started advertising on the radio.

“Radio was all sound effects and voice actors with scripts illustrating the story in your mind,” Terry explained. “Janis was great at writing advertisements and working with clients due to her calm voice.”

I joyfully listened to Terry and Janis recall sitting around with their group of friends, other young professional couples, testing the original compatibility tests, and telling their worst dating experiences. Those stories became the catalyst for the radio advertisements.

Terry impersonated one about a French waiter in a fancy restaurant that had been abandoned at the table right after ordering their meals. The girl pretended to be going to the bathroom and never returned. That was when the ad kicked in as the waiter, said, “Monsieur, you have been stood up two times already this month. Maybe you just aren’t finding the right ladies. This is an expensive restaurant. You should save your money and do what I do….hire New Dimensions dating service now.”

“Oh, that is so sad and mean. She dined and ditched him leaving him wondering what he did wrong. Cruel,” I cried out over the hypothetical scenario.

“Yes, and we particularly had a lot of ads out at Christmas because it is a lonely time of year for so many people,” Terry said.

Terry recalled a dark one on suicide and falling into a record player that I didn’t find funny at all or maybe I just didn’t get it.

Janis recalled an ad making fun of men in bars that’s only pickup line was “Hey girl, what’s your sign?” She sounded like she’d heard that one before and went to finish putting on her makeup. Maybe that was the secret, the ads were relatable and created from all the stories their friends told about their worst dates ever.

“Well, did you and Janis ever take the compatibility test?” I asked Terry.

“No, but she once joked that I should be glad she didn’t have a dating company before she met me.” Terry chuckled.

The story was so interesting to me. They had a successful tech startup in the 80s that they were beta testing with their network of friends in their living room. They took the feedback from those tests to build better company infographics, ads, and frequently asked questions and grew a profitable business model. It was amazing to me that they had copyrighted and developed what was the precursor to modern dating apps. And like many startups, the happy perks for their friends in exchange for participating was their enrollment in the service for free.

Then, Terry recalled he received a call that number 92 had given a gentleman a venereal disease (VD). Terry and Janis had to call their lawyer and build that into the disclaimer. Terry said you might want to leave that part out of the story you’re writing. I said I think it’s important, despite the ill fortune of number 92’s victim, it shows your adaptability as a new small and unique business. I applaud the Reeds for their quick reaction, but as for 92….well, maybe hold the clap. Pun intended.

At this time, a few psychologists and professors who had historically profited from trying to help individuals find dates in the local area called to question what New Dimensions was doing exactly and if the Reeds were even qualified. The psychologists were quoted in the newspaper as particularly angry about a long-term New Dimensions client who had rerecorded his video interview 15 times learning how to appear more compatible the more familiar he was with the dating program.

“So the psychologist was mad that the guy went on a lot of dates and learned how to be more charming in video interviews over time?” I asked confused.

“Well, yes. He was saying that after learning how to be more compatible that wasn’t reflective of how he was and that was deceptive,” Terry explained.

I pause again for the reader to reflect and ask you, do you think hypothetical gentleman number 264 who paid to record himself 13 more times (the first two were included) was a false advertisement to potential matches or just an awkward guy who learned from experience? Terry and I want to know your thoughts in the comments.

So now, I know our readers are dying to know what happened, so I asked for us.

“Ok Dad, if the company was so successful, what happened?” I inquired.

“Well, we sold it to a lady who worked for us for about 50k and it continued to be profitable and expanded to a location in Tulsa. For years after, we would drive by to see if it was still open and it was until the early 90s. We had to sell because we had to move away,” Terry recalled.

Ultimately though the business model didn’t evolve with the entrance of the internet and they learned the new owner passed away. That was the end of New Dimensions, the video dating service my in-laws invented and owned from about 1983 to 1985. It was at this time though, that Terry Reed was approached by a special agent using the Alias, John Cathey. Terry was told to place an ad in the newspaper classifieds explaining his qualifications in machine tools, flying and Air Force Intel for an upcoming opportunity and that “John” would be in touch. Today you might know this "John Cathey” famously as Oliver North, but that is a story for another day. For all of you lovebirds who are on dating apps now trying to find those love connections, we wish you compatibility in new dimensions and better pickup lines than “Hey girl, what’s your sign?”

If you liked this article and want to hear more like it, we want to hear about it. And if you are really lucky, we might just invite you to dinner with Mom and Dad to hear the stories live one day.

XOXO,

Brit

Reference

Reed, Terry, and Janis Reed. Personal interview. [December 29, 2024].

Reed, Terry, and John Cummings. Compromised: Clinton, Bush and the CIA. S.P.I. Books, 1994. Purchase here on Amazon: https://a.co/d/f9kItL7