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, May 27 1992 Date: Wed, 27 May 92 05:20:54 EDT Message-ID: 05-27 0000 DECISIONLINE: Trends & Marketing USA TODAY Update May 27, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network MEN TAKE IT ALL OFF FOR FASHION: Men shaving their body hair, a craze among athletes spawned by the fitness frenzy of the '80s, is growing into a '90s trend in high fashion and advertising. Hairless hunk models such as Marcus Schenkenberg (wearing wet denim in Calvin Klein's ads) and Gianni Versace's Brian Buzzini and John Francis are showing up more frequently in high fashion magazine ads. (For more, see special Hair package below.) WELLNESS INCENTIVES OFFERED: Companies are starting to offer financial incentives for employees to live more healthily and, they hope, hold down the cost of health-care benefits. The rewards in wellness programs are typically $2 to $5 per week in cash or discounts on insurance premiums. The idea is to offer enough to nudge the hesitant out of their inertia, but not enough to spark widespread cheating. MORE LOOK INTO POSSIBILITY: Few companies at the moment are trying wellness rewards, but there are signs the trend could mushroom. Consulting firm A. Foster Higgins, in a survey last year of 235 Fortune 500 companies, found only 3% with wellness programs with financial incentives in place. But another 9% said they'll introduce one by the end of this year and another 19% said they are considering offering such a program. MAGAZINES SEE BRIGHTER TIMES: Magazines, suffering an ad slump since January 1990, finally see better times ahead. Ad pages in April were up 3% over April '91, reports the Publishers Information Bureau. Of the 20 top magazines for ad pages, 16 reported gains last month vs. three a year ago. Catherine Hennessy, associate publisher of Emerge, says, "What we're hearing is what we would call cautious optimism." FALL FOCUS IS ON BLACKS: Next fall, Fox will offer "Martin" to precede "Beverly Hills 90210." It's about a host at a black talk radio station in Detroit. NBC will compete with "Rhythm and Blues," about a white host at a black Detroit radio station. Several other fall offerings focus on blacks, who "watch more television than whites," says Joel Segal of McCann-Erickson ad agency. SENIORS TURN TO TRAVEL: More and more folks over 50 are being stricken with wanderlust, trekking from Vermont to the Atlantic to backpack trips through Europe. The number of trips taken by seniors jumped from 111.7 million in 1985 to 152.1 million in 1990. More recently, of 1,750 age 50 and over surveyed by the National Tour Association, two-thirds call themselves "young and adventurous in spirit." MORE WOMEN HAVE KNEE PROBLEMS: Knee problems, especially kneecap problems, "are becoming increasingly common among women," says Dr. Dan Silver, an arthroscopic specialist. Silver says women who begin exercising regularly need to watch out for injuries or worsening pre-existing problems with vital joints. He estimates that "almost 50% of women suffer some kind of knee injury or problem." TEENS HIT BY RECESSION: The recession has changed teens' home lives, spending habits and plans for college. Forty percent say the economic slump is causing tension at home, says a survey of 2,100 high school seniors by National Scholastic Surveys. The survey finds that 31% report seeing fewer movies and 36% are going on fewer family vacations. Twenty-nine percent say the recession is affecting social lives. KIDS TODAY ARE LESS FIT: Kids today are approximately 10% slower in distance-run tests than kids of 10 years ago, studies show. Also, 55% of girls and 25% of boys ages 6-12 can't do a push-up. To promote fitness, Dr. Leslie Tadzynski, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, says parents should participate in physical activities with their children and help them set reasonable fitness goals. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON HAIR: THE LOOK FOR MEN IS HAIRLESS: Forget the five o'clock shadow. Some '90s men may face the six o'clock chest. Men shaving body hair, a craze among athletes begun in the fitness frenzy of the '80s, is becoming a high-fashion and advertising trend with models like Calvin Klein's Marcus Schenkenberg showing smooth skin. Magazine ads for the company Shimano American show pro cyclist Phil Anderson shaving his legs. A LOGICAL PROGRESSION: It's the logical progression from the '80s, when weekend warriors used to shave their chests and legs to cut resistance in biking, swimming and triathlons. Now, less hair means more money for male models. Industry observers say that the fashion industry has been strongly influenced by the hairless hunks in mags devoted to bodybuilding, cycling and wrestling. CLIENTS WANT A `CLEANER LOOK': Says Richard Pollmann of Irene Marie Models in Miami: "Fashion clients today want a cleaner look, more fit and toned. Hair hides the muscles." Tom Julian of the Men's Fashion Association admits he books smooth dudes for spring and summer sportswear photos. "But most of them are true athletes, swimmers and runners. They shave as part of their regular routine." (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