Marketing at the mo seems to be split into two camps - mass marketing of discount items or niche marketing in order to differentiate oneself from ‘everything out there'.
   
It would appear that niche marketing is the direction the Internet is taking. It has had a truly profound effect on industries one never thought could be customised, and is bringing them direct to your door if you are listening and looking.

To illustrate this point I have discovered a truly revolutionary example (excuse the sarcasm) – the M&M. One can now customise ones packet of M&M’s - no I am not kidding – yes with your own name and address on it if you would like. (Please return to sender if found perhaps). I’d like to spare a moment of thought for the people who firstly want an M&M with their name on, and secondly for those who will pay, nearly 10 times the price to eat said M&M’s.

Between Levi’s iPod jeans and Adidas shoes with microchips inside, this customisation on the Internet is starting to reach a new level. Jack Daniels has now followed suit with customised bottles available for order online. The list goes on and on, and my amusement continues as my search parameters increased.

A further classic example of how far this trend really has gone is the latest carrier shopping bag which says “I am not a shopping bag” at a price of about $15 a bag. So please can someone explain to me why this is “cool” and what you want to do with this? Is this micro, micro niche marketing? Who are the core customers of such products? I mean never mind world peace – cool my M&M has my name on; inside a shopping bag telling me it’s not a shopping bag.

Well if nothing else the customised world is your oyster, and I personally look forward to the next “great” invention…