By Sue DiFranco
Copyright © 2002 Sue DiFranco/Fun Facts Publishing  

Scrapbooking has been quickly spreading its way across the nation and across the world. When you think of the industry's target demographics (and your target demographics as a business owner), what comes to mind? Do you think of women, typically with families, either stay at home moms or working moms, mostly living in suburban areas? Or do you imagine Prada-wearing parents in the city, dropping off their child at this year's "hot" private pre-school before bringing tiny Rover to a puppy pampering center?

Until recently, I would have guessed the former as well. Not only do we not have anything resembling a scrapbook store here in the city of Manhattan, most people give me a blank, uncomprehending stare at the mention of the word "scrapbooking." (I keep saying, if only "Sex And The City" would mention scrapbooking, THEN at last the city would get it!) But there might be hope that these fast-paced Manhattan-ites will get turned on to scrapbooking quickly. Here's why:

Many of you know that Primedia has acquired Creating Keepsakes Scrapbook Magazine (TM). Primedia also owns a dizzying array of other magazines, including "New York," a weekly publication that caters to the upper middle class and above. A recent issue included a two-page ad for the Creating Keepsakes books and Web site. In keeping with the readers' demographics, the ad didn't look at all like what we know and see all the time in the scrapbooking world. Nothing cute, nothing frilly, nothing even scrapbook-y. Just a simple, clean layout with six images of various CK products, and the words: "www.creatingkeepsakes.com, Visit. Shop. Scrapbook."

Naturally, the ad department is to be applauded: this is the perfect ad to put in this particular magazine. A typical ad simply would not work. This is exactly the kind of thing that will intrigue city dwellers to learn what scrapbooking is all about. And because of 9/11, New York is the perfect place to turn people on to scrapbooking.

This is excellent news for the industry because as each city dweller discovers scrapbooking, it opens up a whole new demographic to whom we can market. Naturally, marketing to people who live in large cities is going to be different than marketing to midwest SAHMs - use CK's ad as an example. But it truly means that scrapbooking is for everyone. And all of you custom scrapbook artists out there, don't forget that city types are usually busy types, so once they discover scrapbooking, they might need someone to complete the work for them.

On another note, Primedia also owns "Seventeen" magazine. "Seventeen" teamed up with CK last February to offer a contest and article on scrapbooking. (As of this writing, this has been the *only* teen magazine to feature scrapbooking.) I predict more "team-ups" between the two magazines, including ads and articles, to help make teens more aware of scrapbooking. If and when this happens, I'll let you know.

Let the spread of scrapbooking continue!