It is with great pleasure that I present to you Steve Barnett.

Steve asserts that typical product differentiation is no longer sufficient to get your products noticed and to stand out from competition as many consumers, especially younger ones, look for a "perfect" fit between what they desire and what is available. Traditional advertising is not a source of information or trends as consumers look to social networks, blogs and other Internet means to learn what works for them and what's next.

Steve suggests that hyper-differentiation (or creating products that perfectly match even small segment desires) can be more profitable than traditional products, but the process of creation is quite distinct from usual R&D and involves an anthropologically insightful, deep understanding of your customers.

Best,