The purple billboard stood out along Colorado Boulevard in Denver in late June. In bold, all-caps lettering, it implored passersby: “Help us find our brother Chris true love!”
Next to two photos of Chris Cooke — one with a toothy grin, the other posed — the billboard asked: “Would you date this guy?”
But the man pictured didn’t catch a glimpse of the billboard before it was taken down in early July. And he didn’t see the website it advertised, findchrislove.com — at least, not for weeks. He didn’t know they existed until long after the elaborate ploy — masterminded by his twin, Henry Cooke, and their younger brother, Jamie — was well underway.
The sibling pair, who have both committed to their own respective romantic partners, had turned their focus to finding Chris, 34, his future wife — on a time crunch of 30 days, no less.
The idea was first sparked last August during Henry’s wedding celebrations. That weekend, Chris announced that he planned to move to Denver in March, joining his brothers in the city.
“We just figured, let’s do what we can to help him,” Henry Cooke said. “At the end of the day, we want to find him his life partner, but it’s also someone who’s going to be a part of our family.”
Their plan would evolve to rely not only on the billboard, but a TV ad, media exposure and help from the dating app that helped them both find their partners, 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 pair has embraced more creative avenues in their quest, including setting the 30-day goal in mid-June. On June 19, they began recording daily videos on the social media app TikTok to spread word of 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 — ages 26 and older, it specifies — can apply to date Chris. It features a photo gallery of Chris, who’s pictured running, dancing at weddings and grooving to music at Red Rocks Amphitheatre.
“Chris is tall (6’4), leads an active lifestyle, and runs half marathons for fun (!), resulting in not just good health but — dare we say it? — a killer body,” says a short biography written by his brothers on the website. “Chris starred 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 an earnest pitch: “Charming attributes aside, our brother’s just the best. He lives to lift others up — and has a great time doing it. He’s smart, loyal, and a blast to be around. More than anything, though: Chris is a stand-up guy, looking for his partner in life. We’re really excited to help make that happen.”
So far, Henry Cooke said on Monday, the website has received around 100 responses.
On June 24, or Day 11, he and Jamie posted about the billboard on social media. On Day 18, they slapped magnetic bumper stickers — mini versions of the billboard — onto random vehicles throughout Denver.
“We did it all secretly,” Henry said. “We’re finally getting a little bit of traction. It’s been an exciting process.”
Their TV ad premiered Monday, on Day 25.
@findchrislove DAY 25! Remember when we showed you the behind the scenes? Well here it is!#fypage #fyp #brotherlylove #chris #findchrislove #brothers
“If you or someone you know is single, please 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 chime in: “You’re welcome, Chris.”
Early on, the two reached out to The League for help. On Wednesday — Day 27 — their efforts paid off: The app held “Chris Day,” featuring Chris’ profile for every American woman on the app whose preferences overlapped with his.
“Our goal is simple: pull off the ultimate hat trick of finding all three Cooke brothers love on The League,” said Laura Stover, the creative director for The League.
But Day 30 is approaching — technically, Saturday is their deadline.
Denver long has inspired the nickname “Menver” for the perceived excess of available men. Historically, that’s made the search for a girlfriend a little harder. But in recent years, single Denverites say the playing field has leveled out.
No matter the outcome — or the actual timeline for Chris finding a partner — Henry Cooke figures the plan is a good way to help him settle in Denver.
The trio grew up on New York’s Long Island, then went their separate ways for high school and college. During their university years, the twins set down roots 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 as an outgoing and friendly romantic who hasn’t had luck in love — at least not yet.
“Hopefully, he’ll find someone who he connects with,” he said.
Chris Cooke finally found out about the scheme on July 5 after his brothers took their case to “Good Morning America,” the national newscast on ABC. A friend sent Cooke a segment of the interview.
“I was kind of in shock and disbelief,” Cooke said. He initially thought it must be a fake, AI-generated video — until he called his twin to confirm.
Two days later, Cooke was interviewed by “Good Morning America” himself.
“It’s definitely quite a lot of effort to go through for me — and I really appreciate that coming from my brothers,” he said.
In Denver, Cooke spends much of his time hiking, biking and attending electronic music shows.
He’d like to share those experiences with a significant other — preferably, a compassionate and funny woman with a big heart. None of his previous serious relationships have panned out.
“I’ve been ready for love for a while now,” Cooke said. “That’s a big part of the reason why I moved to Denver.”
He previously worked in the finance industry in New York. As a hobby, he taught white-tie ballroom dancing. After switching careers to pursue jobs in the tech industry, he moved to Jacksonville Beach, Florida, and San Diego before joining his brothers this year in Denver.
“Everybody here is so active and attractive and successful,” Cooke said. “I just thought it was a really good city to try and find a good match.”
His brothers have now given him access to his dating profile. He’s started reaching out to women himself. Ideal date spots for him include miniature golf courses, cocktail bars and Colorado Rockies games.
“I’m really hoping it doesn’t take 100 dates,” Cooke said. “I am actually looking for somebody to settle down with.”
As for his brothers’ antics, he said: “I have never been in the spotlight to this capacity before, and I don’t really know how to react. But it’s been pretty wild.”
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