The other day I was perusing the Filofax UK website just to see what’s new, and ran across “As Seen In…” which is a collection of magazine articles featuring Filofax organizers and accessories. My favorite is in the December 2008 Glamour magazine which showcases some very beautiful Filofaxes. My fantasy Filofax, the Deco in Ivory, makes an appearance. But I was surprised that I was even more attracted to the red Amazona, shown in action. I was ready to rush out and get one and had to hold myself back!
I wonder if, in this economy, people are buying more Filofaxes than electronic organizers? Cheaper, and possibly more reliable. Or, I wonder if people are treating themselves to a nice Filofax instead of a bigger, more expensive luxury? This makes me think of the “lipstick effect,” which is: when the economy is bad and people have less disposable income, sales of lipstick actually go up. The theory is, when women can’t afford new shoes or clothes, but they still want a pick-me-up purchase, they buy lipstick. Could a Filofax be the lipstick of the electronic organizer world?
I couldn't help but notice that the US Filofax website does not have an "As Seen In" section. I wonder if the organizer/agenda/diary is a more European concept?
ReplyDeleteI can't remember the last time I saw an advertisement for a Filofax (or other day planner) in a magazine here in the US...
I like the way that they have a 'view featured item' which then links to the item on the Filofax site.
ReplyDeleteRead about it in the news, then buy it here....
Popular with the Daily Express...
Steve
Good point YM, I don't often see ads for planners. Although, now that I think about it, I have seen mag ads for Kate Spade planners and such. Another thing I have noticed that I think I put somewhere in a comment of some other post is, the UK website's most expensive Personal size planner is the Deco at under 200 pounds, but on the US website the most expensive personal size Filo is the Alligator at more than $2,000, next is the Ostrich at $700, and then one or two more before the Deco at $300. I wonder if that is because in the US, Filofax is the "upscale European" brand as opposed to FC, Dayrunner, etc. But in the UK, there are other luxury brands of organizers like Smythson, Aspinal etc. I would think that the UK, the birthplace of Filofax, would carry the most expensive and luxurious models.
ReplyDeleteMy sister and I were drooling over the Deco and Amazona earlier. Gorgeous!
And Steve, I love that feature: tempt you with the ads, then very conveniently lead you to the site where you can purchase it!
As Laurie pointed, it's interesting to note the "retro" side of the Filofax in some of those ads. That's something I have learned to accept, even if I don't feel retro at all using it (it's just the best tool to do what I need to do)
ReplyDeleteYesterday, one of our readers (a 20-something) I met was literaly speechless to see me using the Filofax and a fountain pen to jote down some notes, not using the iPhone that was lying next to it. "You are a member of an endangered species", told me another one, a few days earlier.
Even among my team of writers--all young (between 19 and 26) and all very talented--except one who's also keen on Filofax and paper, my using of papers is something they find truly odd. Planning or drafting on paper seems so... unatural, unpractical to them.
One of them even told me he wasn't able to use handwriting anymore. Only keyboard or thumboard.