Searching for the next great kiss

Harlequin, the global leader in series romance and one of the world's leading publishers of reading entertainment for women, announced this week it has submitted a patent application for the "Essential Romantic Kiss" to the United States Patent and Trademark Office."If love makes the world go 'round, then a kiss is what fuels it," said Michelle Renaud, Chief Kissing Officer of the Harlequin Office for the Preservation of the Kiss (HOPK), a division of Harlequin that exists to celebrate all things related to kissing. "The kiss is the cornerstone of romance, the turning point of every good story. It can change lives, start a rumor or break hearts. And with more than 60 years of publishing women's fiction, no one knows the kiss like Harlequin," said Renaud. "It's time to stop thinking of the kiss as a mundane, everyday form of affection. This patent application celebrates the kiss and brings romance back to kissing." The patent applied for by the HOPK outlines a basic method by which two people can reciprocate their romantic feelings toward one another in a manner that deepens attachment, provides pleasure and promotes physical and emotional well-being - The Essential Romantic Kiss. In its efforts to promote and celebrate kissing, the HOPK is interested in expanding the standard kissing repertoire beyond simple pecks, the dated French kiss or even the lovable butterfly kiss. In this spirit, the HOPK has created an interactive kiss creation tool to allow members of the public to create and share their own kissing styles. Submitted kisses will be added to the HOPK's online kissing vault, which is freely accessible to anyone. Recognizing the tight economic times, the HOPK is encouraging everyone to spread the love for free and create a unique, romantic kiss for their partner this Valentine's Day. "Nothing truly exciting has happened in kissing since the French kiss took the world by storm in the 1920s," said Renaud. "Almost one hundred years later, we need to find the next great kiss. We're encouraging everyone to pucker up and get excited about kissing again." Kiss and Tell: Harlequin's surprising survey results During the development of the "Essential Romantic Kiss", the HOPK conducted a survey across North America to enhance its understanding of attitudes toward kissing in the era of digital romance. Surprisingly, Americans are still traditional when it comes to kissing, with more than half of American men and women (53%) believing that women should not initiate a first kiss.¬? "Although some women may be hesitant to make the first move, we discovered one out of three women will readily tell someone about a bad kisser," continued Renaud. "There are fundamental components to every kiss. We want to arm lovers everywhere with the basics and enhance their kissing prowess so any story told about their kissing skills will be a good one!" Other survey highlights include: * Does a kiss count as cheating? If so, it may be a good idea to keep an eye on your partner as one out of three men admit to having kissed someone who was off-limits, such as a friend's significant other or spouse. * Ever wonder what REALLY goes on at your office holiday party? One out of three Americans have admitted to kissing a coworker. * Blame it on the beer goggles! If you've ever woken up cringing about that kiss at the bar last night, you are not alone. Forty-one percent of Americans have regretted kissing someone. * But apparently romantic regrets fade as you age. At least half the people in the 18-24 age group have regretted kissing somebody, while less than thirty percent of those 55-64 years old feel the same way. * Staying true to your valentine shouldn't be too difficult. One in four Americans said that their favorite kissing memory involves their current partner. * A bad kiss is NOT a deal breaker. Only one out of ten Americans would stop a relationship in its tracks when confronted with a partner who has lackluster kissing skills. * Young love can be so complicated! One out of five people aged 25-34 have kissed somebody to make their ex jealous. * The inexperienced kisser need not worry, one out of five women have no problem giving a lesson to a bad kisser. This would have been nice to know in high school! * Kisses are for good, not evil! More than half of Americans have never used kissing to get something they wanted, to tease or to make another person jealous. These survey results and more can be found at www.patentyourkiss.com. Visitors are encouraged to submit their own kissing style and vote on their favorites. During February and March, a contest will be held to judge eligible kisses submitted to the HOPK's vault. One lucky kiss creator will win a trip to Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino to re-enact their kiss.

********** Published: February 03, 2011 - Volume 9 - Issue 42