UK-based mobile and online flirting service Flirtomatic reports healthy interest in a virtual engagement ring promotion it ran at the end of February. Flirtomatic launched the promotion to give its female members the opportunity to follow leap year tradition and propose via mobile – to the man of their dreams.
During the promotional period, which ran from 26 February to 2 March, 14,278 virtual engagement rings were bought and sold online at a cost of around 0.40 each. The figure was significantly higher than the 10,000 Flirtomatic had predicted.
The limited edition ring was part of the sites value-added services (VAS) section, which includes a range of virtual gifts, from flowers and chocolates to champagne bottles and Supersnogs – that users can purchase to send to the object of their affection. 
The continuing popularity of VAS has demonstrated a clear appetite for users to pay for additional features relevant to the Flirtomatic experience, says Flirtomatic CEO, Mark Curtis. The popularity of the leap year proposal ring shows that social networks seem to be evolving to a point where theres a definite interest in seasonality. We saw this at Christmas too, where our Frosty, Supersnog and Mistletoe gifts became bestsellers almost overnight.
The virtual gifts were introduced in April 2007, along with other services, including the option to purchase credits to reveal who has rated a members profile highly. Users can also bid to have their profile displayed on the opening Look at Me screen. 
VAS opens up an extremely powerful advertising medium to brands, with sponsorship of relevant gifts and features enabling intimate engagement with consumers as they communicate with each other, says Curtis. Were currently in discussions with a number of brands to develop seasonally-tailored sponsorship opportunities.