Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.trends From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: trends Fri, Mar 13 1992 Date: Fri, 13 Mar 92 05:47:47 EST Message-ID: 03-13 0000 DECISIONLINE: Trends & Marketing USA TODAY Update March 13-15, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network MAGAZINE AD PAGES INCREASE: Magazine advertising pages increased in February a slight 0.9% over February 1991, the first increase reported in 17 months, according to Publishers Information Bureau. "Advertisers who have been holding on to their money are just starting to release it," says Valerie Salembier, publisher of Family Circle. MANUFACTURERS LIKE GREEN: Manufacturers' interest in environment-friendly products continues to rise. A survey of applications for trademarks shows that "envi-" and "eco-" applications rose 21% and 10% respectively from 1990. The survey was compiled by law firm Dechert, Price and Rhoads. "Envi-" and "eco" accounted for 650 of 106,000 applications filed last year. POP STARS TURN TO FILM: Pop stars are increasingly turning to the silver screen. In addition to John Mellencamp and Mick Jagger crossing over, several big names are in coming films. Watch for Madonna in Woody Allen's "Shadows and Fog," opening next week, and "A League of Their Own." Chris Isaak and David Bowie will turn up in August's "Twin Peaks - Fire Walk With Me." RAPPERS, GRACE JONES HAVE ROLES: Rap stars Ice-T and Ice Cube are moving into film with "The Looters," coming in June. Also due in June is "Boomerang" with Grace Jones. Coming later in the season, Tom Waits has a role in "Bram Stoker's Dracula" this August and Whitney Houston will be in "The Bodyguard" this fall. POLO TEAMS WITH LACROSSE: There's a new sport taking on with athletes who like to horse around: Polocrosse. The combination of polo and lacrosse has given birth to polocrosse clubs at several East Coast colleges, including Dartmouth and St. Lawrence, as well as amateur leagues, according to USA WEEKEND. The American Polocrosse Association expects to have 1,000 members by spring, up from 600 last year. GARDENERS WANT BUTTERFLIES: Gardeners increasingly are wanting their gardens to entice birds, butterflies and wildlife, according to USA WEEKEND. Some people take classes in butterfly gardening, unheard of a few years ago. The National Wildlife Federation certifies up to 100 yards per month as Backyard Wildlife Habitats. Butterflies like single, splashy colors and blossoms with short flower tubes, like phlox. HATE CRIME ACTION TAKEN: Hate crimes are on the rise against some Southern California minorities. Thursday, Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley named black, Hispanic, Asian, Jewish, homosexual and disabled activists and city officials to the city's Hate Violence Response Alliance. State Senate President David Roberti plans Friday to propose a bill requiring the Attorney General to begin collecting hate crime data. ANTI-SEMITIC INCIDENTS UP: The Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith reports that in California, anti-Semitic incidents rose 11% during 1991. There were 124 reported threats and attacks including a synagogue firebombing. The L.A. County Human Relations Commission is tabulating hate crimes for their annual report, due next week. But director Eugene Mornell says there's no doubt the statistics "will be up again." FAMILIES VACATION CLOSE TO HOME: Families are staying closer to home for vacations this season, say industry experts. Day tour packages grew from $3.5 billion in 1989 to $4.3 billion in 1990. "Driving around the countryside is a top getaway," according to Marj Jensen of the Association of Travel Marketing. "So is going fishing." Other popular vacation destinations include historical sites and museums. CARIBBEAN HOTEL MARKET HOT: There's a freeze on hotel construction in most markets thanks to the recession and a glut of rooms. But builders are still blazing away in the Caribbean. Industry newsletter Real Estate Perspectives reports that developers and investors like prospects for the tourist trade in such spots as the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and Belize. AUTO INDUSTRY LEADS LAYOFFS: The auto industry was the layoff leader in 1991, with 88,595 announced permanent-staff cuts, says Workplace Trends. Other industries with sizeable layoffs include the computer industry, with 85,681; financial service with 64,116; defense and aerospace with 63,612; and retail, with 53,249. GRANULATED NUTRASWEET OFFERED: In a sign that consumers are more conscious than ever of calorie-counting, NutraSweet Thursday came out with a granulated version, aimed at replacing sugar on tabletops. It can't be used for baking because it breaks down under prolonged exposure to high heat. It competes with Sugar Twin, a granulated sweetener that is OK for baking. A teaspoon of NutraSweet has two calories vs. 16 for sugar. Trends & Marketing Editor: Beth Mann. (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