Starbucks and Yahoo Personals have agreed to cross-market each other's services until Valentine's Day, with Yahoo launching the "Espresso Dating Guide" co-branded site, writes MediaPost. Users can go to the site to get dating advice, find Starbucks locations, and receive a $10 Starbucks gift card for subscribing to Yahoo Personals - the most-visited U.S. dating site, according to comScore.

Yahoo and Starbucks "serve the same young customers who have embraced online dating, but still need somewhere that's safe and comfortable when taking that next step from online to the real world," said Starbucks spokeswoman Carole Pucik, citing a Starbucks national survey.

StrategyOne conducted the survey, according to which 39 percent of singles have tried dating someone they met online; among them, the majority said the most important criterion for a first date is a casual and safe setting. Some 42 percent said they want short first dates, and 32 percent wanted a handy exit strategy.