27 Jun 08
Car sales are down
The world's carmakers are all very busy at the moment, with new or refreshed cars being launched on a weekly basis
However, with the 'credit crunch' and rising prices for everything from food to fuel starting to hit consumers' pockets, car sales are down (3.5% in May), which means manufacturers are now chasing sales in a shrinking market.
Limited-edition ranges bring in the shoppers
This is where niche marketing comes in. The manufacturers have all been spending large sums on design and development, trying to lure customers with 'something different' - something that helps them stand out from the masses.
It's a necessary strategy. Trends in consumer behaviour are changing and it's only recently that the car industry has caught up with them. Other industries have been much more on the ball.
Take what we wear: on the high street niche products are a necessity for survival. H&M, for example, has been producing small collections of clothes designed by the likes of Karl Lagerfeld (Chanel's chief designer), Stella McCartney and Madonna. These are strictly limited editions, so once they're sold, that's it, no more. The result? Queues outside the stores, with shoppers descending on the rails like hordes of locusts as soon as the doors open, all accompanied by lots and lots of great publicity.
It seems we've finally caught on to the idea espoused by Brian in Monty Python's eponymous film of his life: we're all individuals. Carmakers have also cottoned on to this and are now trying to build cars just for us and our lifestyles.
