The purple billboard stood out along Colorado Boulevard in Denver in late June. In bold capital letters, it begged passersby: “Help us find our brother Chris’s true love!”
Next to two photos of Chris Cooke – one with a toothy grin, the other posing – the billboard asked: “Would you date this man?”
But the man in the photo didn’t catch a glimpse of the billboard before it was removed in early July. And he didn’t see the website that was advertised, findchrislove.com – at least, not for weeks. He didn’t know they existed until long after the elaborate trick – created by his twin brother, Henry Cooke, and their younger brother, Jamie – was in full swing.
The sibling pair, who are both committed to their own respective romantic partners, had shifted their focus to finding Chris, 34, his future wife – in a time crunch of no less than 30 days.
The idea came about last August during Henry’s wedding party. That weekend, Chris announced that he planned to move to Denver in March to join his brothers in the city.
“We thought, let’s do what we can to help him,” Henry Cooke said. “Ultimately we want to find him his life partner, but it is also someone who will become part of our family.”
Their plan would evolve to rely not only on the billboard, but also on a TV ad, media attention, and help from the dating app that would help them both find their partner, The League. That’s where Cooke met his wife and where Jamie, 31, first connected with his fiancée.
Early on, as Henry and Jamie Cooke hatched their plan, they staked out a spot at the Denver Colfax Marathon in mid-May, holding signs that read, “Help Us Find Chris’ True Love” and “Brothers Help Brothers .’
But the couple has embraced more creative avenues in their quest, including setting the goal of 30 days in mid-June. They started recording on June 19 daily videos on the social media app TikTok to spread their grand plan. The next day they created an Instagram account to share the same content.
On day 6 of the mission, the brothers launched the website, where women – aged 26 and over, it says – can sign up to date Chris. It includes a photo gallery of Chris, who is pictured running, dancing at weddings and swinging to music at Red Rocks Amphitheater.
“Chris is tall (6 feet 4 inches), leads an active lifestyle and runs half marathons for fun (!), which not only results in good health, but – dare we say it? – a murderer,” says a short biography written by his brothers on the website. “Chris was in a Harry Potter musical in college, but make no mistake, he’s actually pretty cool.”
They pay tribute to his dancing skills, career motivation and adventurous spirit. There’s also a serious pitch: ‘Apart from the charming qualities, our brother is simply the best. He lives to lift others to a higher level – and has a lot of fun doing it. He’s smart, loyal, and great to be around. But above all: Chris is a stand-up man, looking for his life partner. We are very excited to make this possible.”
So far, Henry Cooke said Monday, the website has received about 100 responses.
On June 24, or day 11, he and Jamie posted about the billboard on social media. On Day 18, they placed magnetic bumper stickers – mini versions of the billboard – on random vehicles in Denver.
“We did it all in secret,” Henry said. “We’re finally getting some traction. It has been an exciting process.”
Their TV ad premiered on Monday, Day 25.
@findchrislove DAY 25! Remember when we showed you behind the scenes? Well, here it is!#fypage #fyp #brotherlove #chris #findchrislove #brothers
“If you or someone you know is single, come visit findchrislove.com to apply to date our brother,” Henry says in the ad, which aired during a local newscast.
At the end, he and Jamie say, “You’re welcome, Chris.”
Early on, the two asked The League for help. On Wednesday (Day 27), their efforts were rewarded: the app hosted “Chris Day,” featuring Chris’ profile for every American woman on the app whose preferences overlapped with his.
“Our goal is simple: create the ultimate hat trick by finding the love of the three Cooke brothers in The League,” said Laura Stover, creative director of The League.
But day 30 is approaching – technically Saturday is their deadline.
Denver has long inspired the nickname “Menver” due to its perceived excess of available men. Historically, that has made the search for a girlfriend a little more difficult. But in recent years, single Denverites say the playing field has been leveled.
Regardless of the outcome – or the actual timeline for Chris finding a partner – Henry Cooke thinks the plan is a good way to help him get settled in Denver.
The trio grew up on New York’s Long Island and then went their separate ways through high school and college. During their college years, the twins settled in Colorado: Henry at the University of Colorado Boulder and Chris at Colorado College in Colorado Springs.
After graduating, Henry Cooke accepted a job in Denver. “It took me a few years to convince my brothers” to move too, he added.
He described his twin brother as an outgoing and friendly romantic who hasn’t had any luck in love – at least not yet.
“Hopefully he finds someone he can connect with,” he said.
Chris Cooke finally learned of the plan on July 5, after his brothers presented their case “Good morning America,” the national news on ABC. A friend sent Cooke part of the interview.
“I was a little shocked and in disbelief,” Cooke said. He initially thought it must be a fake AI-generated video until he called his twin brother to confirm it.
Two days later, Cooke was interviewed by “Good Morning America” himself.
“It definitely takes a lot of effort on my part – and I really appreciate that from my brothers,” he said.
In Denver, Cooke spends much of his time walking, biking and attending electronic music shows.
He would like to share those experiences with a partner, preferably a compassionate and funny woman with a big heart. None of his previous serious relationships have ended.
“I’ve been ready for love for a while,” Cooke said. “That’s a big part of why I moved to Denver.”
He previously worked in the financial sector in New York. As a hobby he taught ballroom dancing. After changing careers to pursue a job in the tech industry, he moved to Jacksonville Beach, Florida and San Diego before joining his brothers in Denver this year.
“Everyone here is so active, attractive and successful,” Cooke said. “I just thought it was a really good city to try to find a good match.”
His brothers have now given him access to his dating profile. He himself has started reaching women. Ideal date spots for him include mini golf courses, cocktail bars, and Colorado Rockies games.
“I really hope it doesn’t take a hundred dates,” Cooke said. “I’m actually looking for someone to settle down with.”
Regarding his brothers’ antics, he said: “I’ve never been in the spotlight in this capacity before, and I don’t really know how to react. But it was pretty wild.”
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