SUPPLIER COMMITMENT GIVES ENCOURAGEMENT

A burst of activity here at JCK seems to reflect a new sense of anticipation within the industry.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen a sharp increase in the number of supplier companies putting together thoughtful marketing programs and making strong advertising commitments to promote their products and services to the trade. Many are augmenting their ad schedules with informative marketing reports transmitted through inserts in JCK.

In preparation for the JCKShow inJune, more than 1,000 exhibiting companies are previewing their merchandise to retailers across the country through 650 pages of advertising in the recently mailed JCK Show Guide. This sets an all-time record of preshow exposure for any U.S. jewelry trade show and is further evidence of the growing commitment and anticipation now evident among industry suppliers.

Best of all, our readers are beneficiaries of this growth in advertising support. JCKeditors have the luxury of a corresponding increase in space to do their work, and they’re using it very creatively. In the April issue, we had a major report by editors Bill Shuster and Joe Morris detailing how jewelers are using computers to increase efficiency and profits.

This month there’s a provocative and definitive look at changing distribution patterns in the jewelry industry. This cover story was a long-term project that drew input from many on the JCK editorial staff. We also called for – and received – a great deal of help from key players at all levels of our business. The result should be “must” reading for retailers and suppliers alike.

There’s much more coming. Editor Russ Shor recently returned from a trip to the diamond centers of Europe and southern Africa. You’ll be able to read his incisive analysis of the market in the June issue.

Also coming up in June is the next in JCK’s series of Management Study Center reports. This one will discuss employee benefits. In addition, June will have a story on De Beers’ new advertising strategies; Ren Miller, who had a full report on platinum in April, interviewed De Beers executives in Toronto for the article.

Hedda Schupak, our fashion editor, has been busy, too, with reports on platinum last month and colored gold this month. Right now, she’s traveling to talk to jewelry designers for a big story on U.S. jewelry design for the July issue. And soon she and Mike Thompson, our watch editor, will be off to Basel for a look at the newest in jewelry and watch design.

It’s a lot of effort in all areas of the magazine with a single goal: to offer the best information and value we can.