If you ask the average marketer or media planner to pick the biggest worry-phrase on their minds today, it will probably be "media fragmentation." With the explosive growth of broadband, gradual decline of broadcast network television and newspapers, as well as the upsurge in cable television programming, the traditional reach and frequency driven campaign is getting harder and harder to pull off without spending an astronomical amount of money.
 
But what's the alternative to a tonnage-based campaign? Niche marketing.

When a specific type of consumer makes an emotional connection with a product, that's marketing gold. It's what creating a niche is all about.

When companies give the public a forum, they not only get free content, they have fans for life. "Create your own webisode" contests are running rampant on the net, which makes creative, computer-addicted audiences a niche on its own. People are podcasting and blogging for fun. For example, Star 98.7 radio in Los Angeles had a "15 Seconds of Fame" contest, where entrants created and submitted a commercial for the radio station. The winner received $25,000, and his commercial appeared on an episode of Fox's "24."

By thinking out of the box in very specific ways, companies are hitting the markets -- and the demographics -- that best suit their needs.

Check out these examples of some big brands with successful niche marketing campaigns.

Author notes: Debra L. Eckerling is a freelance writer. Read full bio.