Can TiVo Boost Your Sex Life?

Chocolate, oysters, Champagne — and TiVo?

Love is in the air at TiVo, fresh off its $500 million win against Dish and EchoStar.

The company would have you believe that users of its DVRs are more amorous than people who use plain-vanilla digital video recorders from their cable, satellite or telco TV provider.

According to a survey it commissioned in March, 86% of TiVo users spend at least one hour a night plus weekends with their significant other versus 75% of non-TiVo users.

TiVo users also are more likely to characterize a night spent in with their significant other as “romantic, quality time” (71%) compared with non-TiVo users (60%).

And about 73% of TiVo users said the DVR has improved “romance” in their home — with 5% even claiming it has improved their sex life. The survey of 944 people was conducted by Research Now.

How to explain the results? I’m not sure the cause and effect is clear.

The company is pushing the notion (although somewhat playfully) that a TiVo DVR fosters romance because it provides more choices and personalization than other DVRs. But it’s more likely that people who have bought a TiVo already consider themselves cooler than average — and would be more likely to agree that their $300 or $500 purchase is somehow making them sexier.

As part of promoting the alleged aphrodisiacal properties of TiVo DVRs, the company is hosting a “Date Night In” sweepstakes with a grand prize pack that includes a TiVo Premiere; one year of free service; a wireless G network adapter; flowers from 1-800-Flowers.com delivered to the winner’s significant other valued at $100; and a $100 gift certificate to Restaurant.com for the couple’s romantic dinner. The sweepstakes ends May 31.

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