Another thing to know about me is I hold a bachelors degree in communications and media. One of the terms that peaked my interest in school was this term ‘fragmented marketing.’ The term fragmented marketing is pretty self explanatory but it’s basically the commercial market being separated into different parts, segments, or fragments. Since I decided to start a blog I wanted to write on this topic because I find it so interesting in how it affects current marketing practices and how the marketing landscape has changed with the growth of technology.

Before Fragmented Marketing

Let’s start at the very beginning with the Printing Press. The invention of the printing press allowed for mass production of printed material. Though the Gutenberg press is the most well known with development in the 15th century in Europe, the first known prints were developed in China dating back to the first millennium A.D. For study and understanding the impact of mass marketing will give our attention to the Gutenberg press. The Gutenberg printing press was invented in Germany in 1450. In 1452 Gutenberg released printed copies of the Bible, allowing common everyday citizens to read the Bible for the first time. This than lead to mass production of other publications in the early 16th century that defied the church, reading from John Calvin, Martin Luther, Copernicus, to name few. The first official newspaper, Relation, was printed and distributed in Strasbourg Germany in 1605. The printing press brought education and mass information to ordinary people for the first time.

Fast forward years later, we have newspapers, radio, and television as avenues to market and advertise. If your parents are anything like mine they have probably told you the line, “when I was a kid we only had three channels to watch.” For that reason ads and commercials filled the screens reaching more than half the country. During this time the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) began regulating TV advertising. A spot during prime time would cost between $40k-$10k depending on the length.

The Market Now

With the growth of technology and the digital era we now have thousands of channels to receive information from, news apps, social media, television, podcasts, and so much more. Because of this we are in a fragmented market. The fragmented market cuts down on the “big guy” and allows smaller businesses to stand out with proper marketing strategies thereby creating a more diverse market.

As a marketer working in a fragmented market allows you to be more creative when reaching your intended audience. To reach out to the LGBTQ community during pride month Lululemon ran a campaign asking their employees what pride means for them. They took their responses and posted them on social media. They then took this campaign into New York City setting up these quotes in Hudson River Park for passer byers to view and read. Additionally Lululemon ran a yoga class in the same park. This is an example of taking marketing to the next level. Targeting the LGBTQ community showing a specific group and their allies where they stand and dedicate a class and full project to show their support and gain new followers in the process by building an in person presence in New York. This created a more established bond between the brand, New York City, and the LGBTQ community.

Another great campaign was done by Lean Cuisine called #WeighThis. They created an immersive experience for woman in grand central station to step on the scale. Instead of collecting their weight Lean Cuisine asked the women about their biggest accomplishments. They filmed the experience to make an ad and they also took to their social accounts to use their #WeighThis to ask woman around the world to talk about how they value themselves. The video went viral reaching 6.5 million within the first week and increased their brand perception by 33%. This campaign was obviously geared toward woman to celebrate their accomplishments and have the woman decide what value they have rather than what a scale says they are.

These are both examples of intergraded marketing strategies, meaning they used more than one channel to push their message. It is important as a business to be on everything everywhere, you never know where anyone will find you in a market like this. When thinking about your marketing strategy ask yourself a few questions.

1. Who would buy this product?
2. Where are they? (Location and/or Social media network)
3. What are their beliefs?
4. Why do they need this product?

Then from here you can answer the how. How will you market to them?

Being in a fragmented market means you have to think like your customers in terms of capturing their attention. Not everyone reads the same newspapers, follows the same news stations or tunes into Prime time TV anymore. You need to be creative and reach out to prospective clients.