Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.trends From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: trends Wed, Jul 22 1992 Date: Wed, 22 Jul 92 04:31:58 EDT Message-ID: 07-22 0000 DECISIONLINE: Trends & Marketing USA TODAY Update July 22, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network T-SHIRTS ARE SELLING FAST: Baseball shirts are in vogue. Some say it's because of the hit summer movie "A League of Their Own." Others say it's because of all the celebs spotted in the shirts, like Whoopie Goldberg, Spike Lee, Bill Cosby, Billy Crystal, and rap trio TLC. Whatever the reason, baseball jerseys are flying out of athletic stores and chic boutiques. (For more, see special Jersey package below.) OLD JEANS ARE HOT OVERSEAS: Worn denims from Levi Strauss are in such demand in Japan and Europe that entrepreneurs across the nation are buying enough to fill several dusty corrals. And even though Levis has located factories abroad, Europeans and Japanese want jeans that are made (and worn) in the United States. Fratelli Ricatto Import and Export Co. in Brooklyn, N.Y. says many consider them a status symbol. JEANS HARD TO FIND IN JAPAN: Levi Strauss would prefer that people buy new jeans, but the company is somewhat flattered by the overseas purchases of used jeans. There are rumors that some 501 jeans sell for $1,000 to $2,000 each in Japan. Some jeans consumers are getting tired of the trend, though, because the popularity of used Levis overseas is making jeans hard to find. BAD NEWS FOR NEWSPAPERS: Fewer people are reading newspapers. Veronis, Suhler & Associates reports the percentage of adults who read a newspaper daily has declined since 1985, when it was 67%. That dropped to 65% in 1987, 62% in 1991 and 61% this year. EATING AND TELLING: A growing number of fortune tellers are popping up in restaurants and nightclubs in New York and Los Angeles. Manhattan nightclub Live Psychic offers Copper Cunningham, High Priestess of Fortune, who charges $5.00 for a five-minute reading. A fortune teller also comes with the continental cuisine at Carlos and Charlie's in Los Angeles. MEDIA BUYS ARE LOCAL ATTRACTION: Buyers of media are increasing their emphasis on local ad purchases. According to the Advertising Age:Beta Research Corp. survey of media directors, 66.2% of the respondents said their clients' media plans are more localized now than they were three years ago. "More clients are recognizing it's very important to be visible in key local markets," says Jane Twyon of Lowe & Partners. AD BUDGETS DICTATE BUYS: Reasons for the shift to localization include the client's need to present a specific ad message, says Bob Giacomino, senior VP-media manager, Grey Advertising, New York. He cites those promoting pricing or regional tastes and targeting minorities or local competition as examples. Also, smaller ad budgets have "dictated" ad concentration, Giacomino says. TREE PLANTING SURGE ON: Tree-planting is getting lots of attention, as President Bush and private groups boost efforts to slow global warming, reduce home energy use and beautify cities. A National Gardening Association study found 105 million landscape trees were sold for planting in the year ending Sept. 31 and found the nation's largest nurseries can boost production 30% over the next five years. CHEF CARDS ARE NEW COLLECTIBLE: One man is trading in on the hoopla over collectible cards. Keith Famie, owner of Famie's Chicken and Les Auteurs in Royal Oak, Michigan, says each of his cards has a picture of a chef, some information on personal history, training and favorite restaurants. A favorite recipe is on the reverse side. A 16-card set of Michigan chefs is out now; Chicago chefs are next. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON JERSEY: NEGRO BASEBALL SHIRTS OUT: Tom Julian of the Men's Fashion Association says T-shirts are "novel, affordable and comfortable. The baseball jersey is ageless, ethnic and all-American." Vintage Negro Baseball Leagues shirts are offered by Apex One ($40-$80 at sporting goods stores). Teams include the Kansas City Monarchs, Homestead Grays and the Cuban X Giants. `LEAGUE' SHIRTS SOLD ON TV: Cooperstown Collection sells authentic league shirts from 1900 to 1969, made by Mitchell & Ness. Best-sellers: 1919 Chicago White Sox and the New York Highlanders ($175-$225 at Nordstrom, Sharper Image and from the Spiegel catalog). Also sold: "A League of Their Own" cast and crew shirts, shorts, caps and jackets, from the QVC cable TV shopping channel. Call 1-800-345-1515 to order. EBBETS MAKES JERSEYS: The Ebbets Field Flannels, a Seattle company, custom-makes all the pre-1970 minor-leagues and Negro Leagues jerseys. Cost: $150-$175. Jerry Cohen started the company in 1987 with a home computer and now ships worldwide (1-800-377-9777). (End of package.) Trends & Marketing Editor: Michele Coleman. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM