Market segmentation - a challenge to find new examples

When students start work and marketing I encourage them to come up with a product or service that appeals to 'everyone'. So far they have never come up with an example that really satisfies me. It seems that almost every product that is sold is tailored, in some way, to the needs of its target audience. That concept lies behind the idea of market segments, or groups of consumers who share the same buying habits.If you enjoyed Jim's reference to the hilarious Bic biro for women (!) then you'll like my new favourite. And that's the point of my new market segment challenge!

Before you go any further, I've picked out three recent blogs that have tried to illustrate the idea of segmentation - the new Lego for girls, Waitrose customers at Canary wharf and what happened when Burberry reached the 'wrong' customers. They provide a bit of background on the concept. When you watch the commercial break during TV shows, you can often play a little game in which you try to imagine which segment the show is aimed at, based on the adverts that are screened.

I'm starting to put together a wider range of examples as part of a new challenge to my students. I started off with a fairly obvious one - Alpecin Caffeine Shampoo. I say obvious, but perhaps not ....

And here's my new favourite - Nestlés' new "premium" water for the "Stylish Woman". Hardly anything about the bottled water industry surprises me any more, it's astonishing what they can come up with.

Now it's over to you to start coming up with interesting examples yourself: these are products where there is a degree of surprise, fun or bafflement in the way it has been aimed at a particular market segment.