IT'S BEEN QUITE A WHILE since Travel Goods Showcase conducted “man-on-the-street” interviews with consumers of our industry’s products. Since the focus of this issue is “Targeting the College-Aged Consumer,” we talked to college students across the country to learn more about their travel bag likes and dislikes. Reading their responses got me thinking about my college days, and specifically, what I used for carrying my school books around campus. For someone who remembers the most minute detail of the most insignificant things, I was bothered by the fact that I had absolutely no memory of carrying any kind of backpack or tote bag in college. Was I really that old? Was college really that long ago? Knowing me, surely any bag I carried had to match my shoes! I was left with no choice but to poll the TGA staff to see if I was the only one with collegiate carry bag memory loss.
“When I left home for college in 1964, all of my belongings were in a big, old trunk that had last been used about 10 years before when I went away to summer camp. I don’t think we had backpacks — just the really big ones you went camping with. Mostly we just carried our books under one arm. That is, if we carried books at all (maybe just a notebook). That is, if we even went to class because all I can remember is drinking beer and protesting the war.”
Rob, Class of 1968
“Since my memory of early college is a bit vague, I had to rely on the memories of others who assured me that we pretty much carried our books around in our arms or in Army surplus bags. But by 1974, I have definite memories of carrying my books slung over one shoulder in my first backpack — it was royal blue nylon with one compartment — and it’s still seeing the light of day having recently been discovered by my college-aged son.”
Cathy T., Class of 1975
“Since I was having trouble remembering 30 years ago (senior moment), I decided to enlist the help of some fellow classmates. All three thanked me profusely for reminding them just how old we are. It is unanimous; we did not carry book bags as we referred to them in the old days. We just carried our books and only if they were required.”
Cathy H., Class of 1979
“In high school, I remember carrying my books using one of those rubber straps that would hook around them so they wouldn’t slip out of your hands. College was a different story. It seemed that every class required a big, heavy book to lug around, so I went out and bought a real backpack at the college bookstore.”
John, Class of 1985
“I went to art school in New York City in 1983. We didn’t have text books — just lots of paints, paint brushes, sketch books and pads, and canvases so I carried a portfolio, art tubes, or just lugged the large canvases on to the subway hoping people would not bump into the still-wet paint. I did carry one of those Army surplus bags — it was a pretty simple pack. No padding, no organizational pockets, just one compartment and when it rained, everything got wet.”
Kim, Class of 1987
“I think I have collected at least a dozen bags to carry my school books, art supplies, and electronic media storage. I had to lug around a lot more than just school books, and, of course, I had to look super cool -- I was a creative, art student after all. My bag of choice was either a backpack or a messenger bag; I had to keep my hands free for my huge portfolio case and my hot cup of coffee.”
Sara, Class of 2000
Well, that was yesterday…but today’s college students represent 15.6 million eager consumers who spend an estimated $200 billion annually and are the future market for most consumer businesses. Targeting these consumers can be a shaky and unpredictable endeavor. They are among the savviest of consumers and a group becoming increasingly distracted and harder to captivate. They are notoriously demanding and far different from their predecessors. At the same time, they represent a market that retailers and manufacturers cannot afford to ignore.
Editor-in-chief
Copyright © 2005. Travel Goods Association
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