I remember this ad, as well as the uncomfortable feeling it gave me, though I didn’t think much about it then. Your analysis is spot on as far as the cringeworthiness of the ad and the possible logic of it’s makers go. Not to forget the very existence of a service that has to be advertised this way. Can’t wait for part 2…

However, I disagree with one part:
“most marriageable youngsters would not be caught dead trying to find a life partner online”

In my experience, a lot of young, educated, urban singles are taking the online route to finding the love of their life, and I’ve seen many success stories over the past few years, not least of them my own. In fact, the portal where I met my life partner was one that promoted itself as a site for cosmopolitan singles who’d like to meet people with similar taste rather than similar caste (one of the ads featured a young couple who share a common religious affiliation to Kishore Kumar).

None of this is to say that ads and internet-based services such as these aren’t promoting regressive ideas. After all, any technology is only as good or as bad (in this case, progressive/regressive) as the people using it!