TREND WATCH

Getting Through: MCI and AT&T; are offering a new service that is intended to benefit the average customer but may prove especially valuable to telephone marketers. The service enables a caller to get a message through even when it has been stymied by no answer or a busy signal. For about $1.60 to the calling party, the telephone company will record the party’s message and play it back later. The MCI service rings the recipient every 20 minutes for the first hour and every hour for the next five. In essence it guarantees the telephone marketer a higher call-completion rate during the prime evening calling hours. Pittsburgh Press

Popular Commercials: Since the Federal Communication Commission’s decision in 1984 to lift the limits on commercial time, the so-called infomercial programs have grown to annual sales of about $500 million and have found widespread acceptance within the industry. A typical program features diets and health tips while promoting various products within the context of information. The programs are seen primarily on late-night cable television and last as long as 30 minutes. In a recent survey, 58% of broadcast companies called infomercials bad for the industry, but 90% admitted to using them. New Orleans Times-Picayune

Packaging Problems: Former East Germans were amazed by the variety and amount of products available to them after the fall of the Berlin Wall. They also were amazed at Western packaging, which included more cardboard, plastic, paper and cellophane than they were accustomed to using. Garbage in eastern Germany has grown an estimated tenfold since unification. In an unusual attempt to deal with the increase, distributors of packaged goods are now required to take back any packaging customers return. Stores that set up recycling centers or support existing ones are exempt, but many supermarkets are anticipating mountains of glass, paper and tin growing around their doors. Supermarket News