Follow the trend . . . for profit and fun

Three decades ago a cute little brother and sister act captured the heart of much of America. We knew them as Donny and Marie, a part of the vast Osmond entertainment empire. We know they still do occasional specials and talk shows, Donny has hosted a game show and they have had a great run on "Dancing With the Stars" But did you know that Marie has a love for ceramics?

Marie Osmond has a line of porcelain dolls she sponsors as well as a line of fanciful dinnerware and gift ware. As you can see from the picture they are very graphics based, with bold colors and simplistic design patterns. More importantly they are selling very well in boutiques and gift stores around the country. If you are selling on Etsy or e-bay or wherever, or you participate in local art/craft venues have you capitalized on the massive advertising dollars someone like "Marie" spends on promoting their products. I'm not advocating "copy-cat" stuff, but rather expanding what they offer with different pieces in a similar style. Don't try to under-sell as your catch. Rather up-sell with wonderfully creative pieces that are complimentary in style. As savvy merchants and artists it is important to keep an eye on the trends. It doesn't matter what we like, it's what the consumer wants. And if we get really lucky the consumer will want what we like.