I t's not an unknown fact that merchandisers begin displaying their holiday wares early in the season. Red and pink hearts begin popping up in the beginning of January, Halloween costumes come out in July, and Bloomingdale's has been ready for Christmas since early October.
Early marketing is nothing new.
However, with the coming of the new millennium, everyone seems to want a head start on the New Year. Tell them it's the last one this millennium. They'll come in droves. Better yet, offer a special millennium edition, in limited quantities of course, and you'll have more people who want to buy your product than millennium bandwagon jumpers. Please, give me a break.