Bachelor On Billboard Seeks Dates

Friends say Lance Archibald is a tall, handsome former college basketball player and graduate of Harvard business school.

He's also still single at 31, and so they're hoping to speed things up with a billboard and Web site.

"I'm Lance, Let's go out!" reads the billboard on an interstate near Lindon, about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City.

"I actually try not to look at it too much," Archibald tells The Early Show co-anchor Hannah Storm, "It's a little embarrassing, but I have to give my coworkers credit. They pulled it off. It was quite a joke."

The plan, known as DateLance, was all carried out unbeknownst to him until July 15. That was the first time he saw the billboard advertising his availability.

"It kind of came out of discussions we had, that Lance is such a good guy but not married," said Morgan Lynch, CEO of LogoWorks, where Archibald is the director of marketing. "Someone threw out the idea of getting a billboard."

Noelle Bates, Archibald's co-worker and Team DateLance member, notes, "We had all the internal resources to pull this off without him knowing."

So why the concern over Archibald's marital status? As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members typically marry in their early 20s, the 31-year-Archibald is approaching the male-equivalent of an "old maid."

"He has not had any problems with the ladies whatsoever," notes Bates, "He's just had a problem sealing the deal. We thought if he could get a lot of variety, maybe that would help him."

Archibald interrupts, "I felt like I was doing a good job on my own, I think my co-workers and friends thought otherwise."

The cadre of friends and co-workers behind the scheme, are screening date applications. The Web site asks interested women to describe themselves, including age, occupation and personality, and to describe their ideal date with Archibald.So far there have been a lot of responses, Bates says, "Last night after I checked it must have been at least 800. I would say we're well over 1,000 now."

And the women vying for a date are answering not just from Utah, but from all over the world, Bates notes, "We had women from the Philippines, Denmark, Hong Kong. It's been crazy."

The Web site also includes testimonials from co-workers like Clarke Miyasaki's. It reads: "I share a cubicle with Lance and can tell you that Lance is a Blue Marlin in a sea of tuna. We love this guy (even if we show our love by putting up a billboard that will be the shock of his life). Ladies, do not miss out on your chance to DateLance. He is going to be snatched up by some lucky woman, why shouldn't it be you?"

So what kind of woman is he looking for?

"People asked me that through all this," Archibald says, "I guess I dated different girls, and I think the one I'm looking for is someone who is crazy about me."

Helping him out, Bates adds, "He actually has a crush on you, Hannah. He admitted that to me."

"Haven't they embarrass me enough?" Archibald asks with a smile, "They have no shame. No shame, Hannah."

A serious Bates explains the reason behind the full disclosure by saying, "That gives the viewers the types of ideas of a girl he's looking for."

Archibald is taking the attention in stride.

"They were worried about how I would handle it," he says, "You can take two options, either get mad or laugh about it. They got me good. And I think it's pretty funny."

So when is he going to start dating? "Hopefully soon," he says.

As for Hannah Storm, she points out she is married but notes Archibald has good taste in women.