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 Tue, Mar 17 1992 Date: Tue, 17 Mar 92 05:44:53 EST Message-ID: 03-17 0000 DECISIONLINE: Trends & Marketing USA TODAY Update March 17, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network RETAILERS VENTURE INTO JAPAN: More U.S. retailers now are able to open shops in Japan after years of restrictions. And they're jumping in rapidly. L.L. Bean last month agreed to open five retail stores in Tokyo the next five years. Bean's president says the venture took two years but he's confident the wait was worth it, even though the Japanese economy has been slowing. Other retailers are equally confident. (For more, see special Japan package below.) SMALL MANUFACTURERS UPBEAT: Small manufacturers are more optimistic about the economy now than last year, according to a survey out Monday from the National Association of Manufacturers. The survey from the association representing 12,500 small manufacturers said that nearly 30% expect to hire more people and 53% expect not to lay off any workers. And 45% say they'll be more profitable vs. 30% last year. CELLULAR INDUSTRY GROWS 43%: The cellular telephone industry grew more than 43% 1991, adding an all-time record 2.3 million subscribers in 12 months, says the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association. The spiraling growth left the industry with 7.6 million subscribers nationwide as of Dec. 31, compared to the 5.3 million reported on Dec. 31, 1990. YOUNG TALK SHOW LAUNCHED: The current interest in talk shows has expanded to include a younger audience. Jane Pratt of Sassy magazine premiered her show, "Jane," Monday in New York. Pratt, 29, says she aims at a group of viewers slightly older than the 14-19 group of Sassy. "You see a smash hit like `Beverly Hills 90210' where they deal with issues" but there's no real-life venue for young folks, she says. ABC SHOW DRAWS VIEWERS: There's a healthy audience for both reality TV and talk shows these days, and "20:20" is profiting. Friday's "20:20" on ABC, with "Good Morning America" co-host Joan Lunden slamming tabloids over coverage of her divorce, was the second-highest-rated show since April 5, 1991, with a spot on exorcism. It also was the third week in a row that "20:20" drew more than 30% of viewers. MORE AUTO DEALERS CLOSE: Failures among auto dealers hit a nine-year high last year, according to Automotive News. At the end of last year, 23,368 new car dealerships were in business, 904 fewer than a year earlier. That was the biggest drop since 974 closed in 1982. STUDENTS PESSIMISTIC: Most high school students feel life in the U.S. will be worse in 10 years, a new poll shows. More are concerned about the economy (61%) than AIDS (42%) and drugs (37%), the poll done for publisher Scholastic Inc. shows. And 64% of high school students think life will be worse in 10 years. Education director Ernest Fleishman says the pessimism is a "warning sign." Margin of error: 4 points. SCHOOLS MARKET THEMSELVES: Private schools are finding ways to market themselves given the budget problems all schools face. Lebanon Valley College, Annville, Pa., offers tuition discounts: 50% off for the top 10% of a class; 33% off for the top 20%; and 25% off for the top 30%. The University of Redlands, California, guarantees students the chance to get all classes needed for graduation in four years; 94% do. WHITE SHIRT A MUST: This season's most important wardrobe addition: A shirt, according to the April issue of Mademoiselle. The most newsworthy styles are done in white, cut on the large side and distinguished by interesting detail like delicate eyelet collars. Often the shirts themselves will be fairly simple. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON JAPAN: CONSUMER EMPHASIS UP: U.S. retailers are optimistic about setting up shop in Japan, finally being allowed after years of restrictions. They're confident the economic downturn there will be temporary. And they say that the country's growing emphasis on consumerism will be lasting. That makes the Japan market ripe for U.S. goods - if not big-ticket items such as cars, then clothing such as L.L. Bean. TOYS R US IS IN: Bean mail orders from Japan increased 50% from 1990 to 1991, says President Leon Gorman. The company's opening retail stores there. Other ventures include Kinko's Copy Centers, which opened a Nagoya store in February and will open a second store in April. Toy superstore Toys R Us will open its third store in Japan this month in Atsugi. Its first opened just before Christmas last year. HARLEY CASHES IN ON IMAGE: Harley-Davidson started as a joint venture in Japan in 1989 and operates a wholly owned subsidiary. The company says it controls just over 13% of the touring-bike market. Harley is able to cash in on its uniquely U.S. image. Until recently, ancient restrictions blocked entry to large or foreign-owned retailers. One restriction forced companies to get surrounding businesses' OK to open. (End of package.) 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