These companies have aggregrated values from multiple niches and eliminated many negatives of the tradition model and built a new market, a Blue Ocean of uncontested market place.
Starbucks took great coffee, a european cafe, a local hangout, a community center and business center and used this aggregated value to turn non customers into customers. They create a whole new market that Panera Bread and Paradise cafe quickly followed.
Curves create a women friendly social club, a neighborhood gym customized w/ easy plan for health and a simple system for improved health close to home and away private enough for the average female non-athlete. They turned 100s of thousands of female non-gym members into clients by eliminating alot of the negatives that go along with being a member of a traditional health club.
Exercise Inc took the time out of working out. They recaptured the health conscious, schedule overloaded entrepeneur and gave they a path to health again. They gave them a way to eliminate the excuses. "I just don't have time to get to gym" and they double in size last year by turning clients who have never worked out with a personal trainer into personal training clients.
Alto Pass Auto made the the automotive buying experience much like getting life insurance. You get the exact car you want at a whole price with the personal attention and non sharklike environment of going to the traditional dealer. You get the car you want cheaper and they even sell your car for you. They are turning all kind of traditional new and used car buyers and making them customers by eliminating the alot of the games and headaches of buying a car.
Blue Ocean Strategy is big concept, you have to truly understand the pains and tribulations that your customers go through not only in buying your product or service but just in general. It is so powerful when you innovate to fix problems and aggregate value that your customers face. So powerful that you will create great blue oceans of new clients, customers w/ uncontested competition.