Virtual reality meets do-it-yourself - magazine publishing

Folio: The Magazine for Magazine Management, May 15, 1993 by Diane Crispell

American self-sufficiency is undergoing a cultural shift--which is creating a wealth of editorial opportunities for magazines.

In a culture dominated by individualism and a country filled with more than 250 million individuals, finding the common ground necessary to support a product is challenging. Tapping into that very individualism is one way to approach the marketplace of the 1990s. American self-sufficiency isn't quite what it used to be, but practically any magazine can take advantage of some aspect of the do-it-yourself spirit.

Do-it-yourself (DIY) projects are Americans' fourth most time-consuming leisure activity, after TV, reading and socializing, according to Leisure Trends, Inc., of Glastonbury, Connecticut. But doing it yourself and figuring it out yourself are two different things. Some people learn best from other people; some disdain advice from any source and insist on learning through personal trial and error. Then there are those who like to follow written instructions. These make up the do-it-yourself magazine audience.

The Roper Organization of New York City finds that one in five adults enjoys reading publications and articles that deal with do-it-yourself activities and equipment. Furthermore, 29 percent like to read about food, 27 percent about health, 26 percent about personal appearance, and 23 percent about home decorating--all of which lend themselves nicely to DIY treatment in magazines.

DIY for the non-doer

But that same Roper survey also found that fewer people enjoy reading about do-it-yourself activities today than in 1984--19 percent versus 28 percent. And they often pay someone else to do things for them. Moderately well-off people may not have full-time maids or chauffeurs, but they might have a teenager to cut the lawn and a once-a-week cleaning lady. Middle-class working families bring their cars to the garage to have the oil changed, and pay other people to take care of their children.

The good news, however, is that even those who pay others to do things for them still want to know what's going on. It's not so much "do it yourself," but "understand it yourself" that characterizes the new do-it-yourselfer. And it applies to all areas of life.

As the world becomes more complicated, people become more confused. The Roper study found that Americans felt less competent in 1992 than they did in 1985 about a variety of purchases and decisions. They were less sure of what to look for when buying a car, how to invest their money, what to look for in life insurance, how to file an insurance claim, and how to finance a house.

This lack of confidence spells opportunity in capital letters for many magazines. People who read magazines are inherently curious. They want to learn things--not just to feed their intellect, but to improve their lives. They want to be better informed--not just to impress people, but to be more effective consumers.

One area in which Americans want and need substantial guidance is health--their own, their children's, even their pets' health. Their thirst for knowledge extends to everything from exercise to food labeling. They want products that are nutritionally, environmentally or otherwise "safe." Things only get worse when the rules change, as they often do, and keeping up is a challenge that magazines, with their timeliness and flexibility, can address.

In a slow economy and with a shifting orientation toward value, consumers also need advice about money--how to save it and how to spend it wisely. Roper found that an astonishing 46 percent of consumers don't feel competent about financing a house. Small wonder. Low interest rates have been a great incentive to buy a home, but the hodgepodge of mortgage options is intimidating.

Those who already own homes have different needs. Although many people don't actually do it themselves, home improvement is still big business. There is a pent-up demand among baby boomers to expand and modernize their homes, according to a survey by the National Association of Home Builders, and remodelers expect the market to grow this year. Since the average remodeling job costs nearly $20,000, consumers want to be especially well informed when they spend this kind of money.

They also want to know what goes under the hood, both their vehicles' and their own. Car mechanics have been a suspect lot for a long time, mostly because people don't understand what they do. People are beginning to view doctors in the same light. They shop around, get second and third opinions, and demand to be treated as human beings. But ultimately, we may not have a choice because we don't understand the complex workings of a car engine, much less the infinitely more intricate workings of our bodies.

Even in the little things, people want to be thrifty and savvy. A Maritz Marketing holiday poll found that men are much more likely than women to buy gifts in department stores, while women are more likely to scour discount stores for bargains. This probably happens because men don't feel knowledgeable enough to find good deals on their own, and rely on the expertise of salesclerks in upscale stores. As a result, they often end up spending more than they need to.