Please Help Research Into Popularity Of Stamp Collecting

Hello Everyone,

I am a Graphic design student studying at the university of leeds UK. I have been given a design brief which is asking me to re-introduce stamp collecting into popular culture. this will be done through the means of a marketing campaign, however I first need to research why it is not a large part of popular culture and why it may be looked at as a less popular hobby than other hobbies may be. anyway I would very much like your expert opinions on a few questions:

Why is the hobby of stamp collecting not a mainstream/popular hobby?

What draws people into stamp collecting? , is it a hobby in which people seek to make money? is it a hobby in which people find a compulsive desire to have the entire collection?

What is the main demographic of people who stamp collect or is it a very broad hobby aimed at many people?

Is there a demographic which is not present in the stamp collecting community?

Is it a more Male or Female dominated Hobby?

How is the stamp collecting community trying to get more people involved in the hobby?? if any?

Please take some time to post some replies. Your help would be much appreciated

and please forgive me for being naiive on the subject. I admit I know very little about the subject and thats why I am doing this research

thanks

One possible contributing factor maybe the lack of high profile celebrities that openly acknowledge an interest in stamp collecting. Strong collecting role models of the past like Franklin D. Roosevelt & Winston Churchill just don't exist now. No high profile individual professes or advocates for stamp collecting. Now if Justin Beiber or Lady Gaga stated stamp collecting is cool the hobby would skyrocket!

Good luck with this project!
More imput will be forth coming!

Mike

What!? It's not?

Ugh.


Your information gathering is probably bettered suited to a half hour over a pint of ale (or two). The short nature of topic responses will of necessity give a rather scattershot picture of the situation.

That being said, I wonder if the person who posited your question knows that stamp collecting is already undergoing something of a revival in the Internet age? Methinks not.

Many younger people, and many women, participate in stamp collecting. The stereotype of a bunch of old guys sitting around, complaining, is no longer completely accurate, though you could easily find that scenario here and there if you attended meetings of a few old-line bricks-and-mortar clubs.

A lot of why the hobby is not as popular as it was it because of all the technological "distractions" that have developed since stamp collecting started, i.e. computers, dvds, video games, etc etc. Having said that, stamp collecting is still one of the most popular hobbies worldwide as it is one thing every country has in common - they all issue stamps.

The draw of stamp collecting? So many ways - a way to discover history, culture, animals, art and so many other topics. You name a topic, we'll find the stamp. Some folks do it for a living/investment/money, but it can be hard and very time consuming to do so. Compulsive? Probably. We love us some details and completing things, but it's more than that. If one chooses as all of here have, we can use it as an avenue to socialize with others. Even more so on the 'net, we can use to reach across nations, age, gender, politics, religion and any other factor and make connections most folks will never have.

Main demographic? At the many U.S. shows it does tend to be composed older white gentlemen, but there are also many exceptions you can find collectors from all walks of life and age. Anyone can collect and we accept them all.

Getting more folks involved? As Mike said, I wish we had a popular celebrity who collected. After Freddie Mercury passed away I cannot name a popular celebrity who does collect. The APS and many other philatelic groups do try to reach out to the youth with special events, their own tables at shows, teaching programs through Boy Scouts, etc. I wish it was more mainstream and in the public media more. We also learn from each other and sometimes those around us will get curious, interested and then "bitten by the collecting bug".
Will

I did not mean to try and stereotype at all. I have a very small knowlege of the topic and the sole purpose of asking people like you who are in the know, is that obviously the stereotype is wrong and I want to find out who participates in the hobby rather than base my project on fleeting sterotypical comments. I am only trying to find out from the experts as I admit I am completely ignorant on the subject, and comments on disproving the stereotype are massively beneficial to me.

thanks for your reply

Does anyone know if there have been any other discussions like this?

Don't worry...we weren't taking any offense. I completely acknowledge the existence of the stereotype. Like many stereotypes, there are probably some good reasons why they are pervasive. (And I use "pervasive" lightly...some stamp collectors would probably be disappointed to know how infrequently the general public thinks of us, at all.)

When I attend my "regular" (i.e., bricks and mortar) society meetings, I am probably twenty years under the average age. Maybe more.

Here, there are all kinds of thirty- and forty-somethings.

One thing to consider - - - - - most of us with any hobby / hobbies tend to keep out of trouble because we enjoy any spare tme we have



Chimo

Bujutsu

At one time it was. When I first got involved in the early 1950's, almost every school child had at least a small collection. Back in those days we didn't have all of the communications devices of today, nor all of the games now available. Even television was limited. On a cold wintery day, it was something to do to pass the time.



Certainly there are those who are into stamp collecting for the money. Most of us in this forum are either just collectors or collector/sellers. I think most collectors realize that it is impossible to create an "entire collection". That is one reason why many are topical collectors.



Worldwide. In fact, that is one of the exciting aspects of stamp collecting - being able to chat with fellow collectors from all over the world.



You can obtain stamps cheaply from many sources - even free. So, stamp collecting is well withn the means of even the poorest. Nor is it a "competitive" hobby such as golf. Very few try to create a better collection than another. We just collect what has an interest to each of us as an individual.


Mostly male with an equal percentage of female

?

Through stamp clubs and stamp exibitions.

Stamp collecting is generally a very personal hobby. Stamp collectors do not broadcast their hobby to the world, generally.

People who are busy raising families are probably a safe demographic to say that these people do not engage in stamp collecting That leaves the old, the young, the independnent and the independently wealthy (like Bobggg).

One point as maybe why the hobby has fell out of favor is most likely to fact that the stamps themselves are not as intricate and/or involved as they once were. It is a very visual hobby and full of personal preferences but I believe I can pretty safely assume that the quality is just not there anymore. eg: The classic period (Pre-1940)of American, Great Brittan, Canadian, England, etc... That should at least be touched on but just keep in mind that not everyone feels that way but I hear/read of it a lot. Just my 2¢.

edit:
Smauggie, I am raising a family and m wife and daughter all collect to some degree. so if I'm the only one so be it but your probably correct as most would not make it any priority over family duties.

You missed a g

Hi Joe
Small world! My son is in his final year of graphic design at Salford University, not too far from you, and I know he has been to your student union bar!
As for your questions, I can only say that I agree with most of the other answers. I collected as a child, stopped at about fifteen, then had my interest re-kindled about 30 years later. I was amazed that the hobby seemed to be thriving, both in the real world and on the net. I don't know of anyone who collects just for the investment side, but obviously a few do. I would guess the split between the genders is about 60/40 in favour of us guys. As for how to get more people interested, I think the hobby does that quite well on it's own!
Give it a try when you have graduated!
Good luck, I know what hard work your degree is!

a g ? Always Grumpy!

Here is a high school project that may have information you can use.

https://goscf.com/t/344#344

And here are some social media applications supporting the American Philatelic Society's marketing effort.

http://stamps.org/Social-Media

My apologies, great one.