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 Thu, Jul 30 1992 Date: Thu, 30 Jul 92 04:32:02 EDT Message-ID: 07-30 0000 DECISIONLINE: Trends & Marketing USA TODAY Update July 30, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network DODGE VIPERS SELLING FAST: People who missed out on a 1992 Dodge Viper might not get a 1993 either. Wednesday, Chrysler President Robert Lutz told the Associated Press that Chrysler has orders for all 3,500 '93 Vipers it plans to build. Those cars - list price $53,300 - don't even go on sale until Oct. 1. (For more, see special Vipers package below.) VIDEO RUSH ON: A slew of videos will make their way into stores for the pre-Christmas rush. Many were revealed at the Video Software Dealers Association Convention in Las Vegas. "King Kong" celebrates its 60th birthday and "The Graduate" marks its 25th anniversary with special home editions due in stores this fall. People can also pick up a newly edited version of "The Godfather Trilogy." VIDEOS FOR HOLIDAY GIFTS: People who care enough send video should keep in mind CBS Video plans to package Christmas episodes of four TV shows in boxes with a greeting card and gift wrapping, all for $9.98. The shows: "I Love Lucy," "The Twilight Zone," "The Honeymooners" and "The Beverly Hillbillies." CBS will mine its library to make what it calls Television Greeting Cards for other holidays, too. KIDS GET FULL KINDERGARTEN DAY: More five-year-olds are going to kindergarten for a full day. The National Center for Education Statistics reports in 1970, just 12% stayed in kindergarten a full day. That jumped to 29% in 1980 and 42% in 1990, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics. SCHIZOPHRENIA LINKED TO CITIES: A new study by Swedish researchers challenges the idea that schizophrenia is more common in cities because patients drift there. Even after adjusting for factors like drug use, they found a trend: Country-raised men face the least risk of schizophrenia; men from small towns were 17% more likely; men from large towns, 24% more likely; and men from large cities, 38% more likely. MANY SEEK FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH: Products are pitting cosmetics companies and drug marketers against each other in a battle for consumers seeking anti-aging remedies. Next year, Johnson & Johnson is expected to make a major consumer push for Renova, a prescription drug that treats sun-damaged skin. Some new players: La Prarie's Age Management Serum; and Chanel's Day Lift Refining Complex. VICKI LAWRENCE TO HAVE SHOW: Comedian Vicki Lawrence is the latest entry on the TV talk-show scene. Lawrence says her syndicated show "Vicki" will be celebrity-based, but more friendly conversations than actors pitching projects. Lawrence also says she won't have any convicted felons on the show, unless they are comedians. MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS SOAR: The number of corporate mergers and acquisitions soared 44% the first six months of this year from the first half of last year. Merrill Lynch reports there were 913 mergers last year for a total of $29.6 billion. This year, there have been 1,300 mergers and acquisitions for a total of $44.5 billion. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON VIPERS: BUYERS STAMPEDING DEALERSHIPS: The twin-exhaust, 400-horsepower V-10 plastic Dodge Viper, first shown off at the 1988 Detroit auto show, is causing stampedes at dealerships that have cars on display. Early customers include "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno, who snapped up a '93, and Chrysler's chairman-to-be, Robert Eaton. ORDERS COMING FROM ALL OVER: Chrysler has 2,400 orders for '93 Vipers from car buyers in the USA, and deposits are still coming in from around the world for the high-performance screamer, says Dodge spokeswoman Terri Houtman. Chrysler expected to sell 900 abroad but is finding international demand is far stronger. "It's a great problem to have," says Houtman. CHRYSLER PREPARED FOR MORE: While Chrysler is understandably loath to flood the market, its Detroit craft center can build 5,000 cars a year. So Chrysler can make more Vipers if demand stays stratospheric, officials say. Dealers have been taking deposits from salivating car fanatics who couldn't get their hands on one of the first 200 Vipers, which went on sale this summer. (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