By Sue DiFranco
Copyright © 2007 Sue DiFranco/Fun Facts Publishing  

One concept I see that has appeal to both younger and older scrapbook enthusiasts is the trend of products featuring skulls, flames, etc. Although some have called this into question as to just how many people would use these designs, I personally have to admit I think it's fabulous!

On a business perspective, I believe these products will appeal to more people than one immediately thinks of (younger boys who scrap, and the family and friends who scrap them).

Teen girls have been embracing the skull theme for quite awhile now, and will probably continue to do so even after its trendiness has passed. (And don't tell me Hot Topic-shopping girls don't scrap! They're some of the most creative of them all. How exciting to finally find scrapbook materials that fit them.)

The "pirate" type aspect appeals to all who are obsessed with "Pirates of the Caribbean," or simply pirates in general. (My friend Jess, who dressed as a pirate for Halloween, will go crazy once she sees these.)

Harley riders scrap too! These products may appeal to this demographic as well. EK Success already has its Harley-Davidson line of products; this is a complementary addition to that.

This new addition of scrapbooking products also provides an opportunity to market to a fresh set of potential scrapbook enthusiasts.

Many retailers may look at a product line and think, "Oh, my customers would never want this!" (Which may or may not be the case - never assume you know everything about your customer. She/He may have teen children who are into dressing in an individual fashion; she/he may have a relative obsessed with pirates; she/he may want to document her/his earlier, "crazier" years.)

But think of the potential customers you could be reaching! Let's face it, many people still have a skewed view of "scrapbooking." They still assume it's a bunch of middle-aged white women scrapbooking their babies' births using pastel pink paper and flower stickers. To be able to reach out to specific groups of people - and offer them something tangible that means something in their life - well, that's what spreading the joy of scrapbooking is all about.

Sure, we're not talking about a huge demographic here. It's not like you're going to see an immense rise in sales from the (potentially) few who got turned on to scrapbooking because you introduced them to products such as these (and others). But if it helps get more customers in your door (something independent retailers need to do), then why not?

Some ideas:

Look to see what groups/organizations are located in your area. Ask if you can leave flyers or (better yet) speak about scrapbooking at a group meeting.

Try to team up with a store like Hot Topic (although this may be difficult, as they are a corporate chain.) Are there independent record stores nearby? What about teen activity centers? There are also several "punk craft shows" across the country (I kid you not - I recently attended one.)

Don't forget, custom scrapbook artists can also benefit, as it simply adds more versatility in the types of pages you can create for your clients.

A few resources:

http://www.junkitz.com
Extremely Boy Collection By Teresa Collins

http://www.magisticalmemories.com
Designs by Susan Rodriquez

http://www.creativeimaginations.us
The Skull and Xbone Collection