• ENGAGE:AFFLUENT
    Big Cars And Fancy Suits: The Next Cycle
    At this point of the year, we like to prognosticate. It never makes much sense to look at how marketing will change in 2012. It's here. But it does make sense to look at how marketing to affluent customers will change during the next business cycle. It makes sense to try to predict changing market conditions. With that in mind, understand that the changes in affluent customer behavior and attitudes have already happened. They have been affected by the recession and slow recovery. The next business cycle continues to be marked by slow income growth and a potentially game-changing commitment …
  • ENGAGE:AFFLUENT
    Luxe In Flux
    Tracking the evolution of luxury into 2012 and beyond.
  • ENGAGE:AFFLUENT
    Affluents Shift Gears In Auto Brand Consideration
    The automakers released their 2012 lines a few months age, and we were curious to see how they have been received by affluent consumers. While we didn't look at specific models, our most recent study provides a good view into how well-heeled buyers feel about the leading brands. What it shows is that the average consideration of the 22 major brands studied dropped from 15% in 2010 to just 11% in the fourth quarter of 2011. This loss reflects a decline that has lasted most of 2011. For some brands the impact has been dramatic. However, as you'll see, there …
  • ENGAGE:AFFLUENT
    Engaging China By Going Public
    China is forecast to be the world's top buyer of products such as cosmetics, handbags, watches, shoes and clothes by 2015, according to consultancy PricewaterhouseCoopers. To capitalize on this opportunity, many luxury goods companies have filed their IPOs or joined the Hong Kong stock exchange.
  • ENGAGE:AFFLUENT
    Affluent Marketing In The Post-Occupied Zone
    There has arguably been no stronger stigma attached to affluence than in the current political and economic climate. Tax rates are said to be unbalanced, income is allegedly too concentrated and the Occupy Wall Street movement is just starting to vacate. It is reasonable to question the concept of affluent marketing. But if you're going to question the concept, make sure you answer with an unqualified "yes."
  • ENGAGE:AFFLUENT
    Affluents Are Heavy Social Networkers, Both Online And Offline
    We are often asked what role social networking plays in the lives of Affluent Americans-are they on Facebook? Twitter? If so, how much time do Affluents spend on these sites? Generally speaking, those who ask are skeptical-surely the Affluent, they figure, are too busy or too old-school to spend much time with online social networks. Our data suggest that Affluents have been socially networking with gusto for several years, and that this is one of many areas where popular notions of Affluent lives are shaped by stereotypes and misconceptions.
  • ENGAGE:AFFLUENT
    5 Ways To Maintain Prestige (And Sales) In A Down Market Without Depreciating Brand Value
    Now that we're all experts at-or, at least, veterans of-navigating a real-life troubled economy, we can conclude with fairly decent certainty that 1) things will eventually get better, and 2) the ultra affluent will likely remain so. For those who work in the luxury space, these two factors shouldn't only confirm what they've learned along the way, they should also act as rules of the road going forward-guiding their approach to brand marketing and management in light of an unpredictable economy.
  • ENGAGE:AFFLUENT
    Here Comes The [Chinese] Bride, Capitalizing On The Chinese Wedding Market
    The U.S. bridal industry is flat. According to U.S. census data, the number of weddings has remained relatively unchanged for the past 25 years at between 2.1-2.4 million. However, in China, the bridal industry is booming. According to David Liu, CEO and cofounder of The Knot in New York, in 2010, over 10 million weddings took place-- five times as many as in the U.S.
  • ENGAGE:AFFLUENT
    Stealing Affluent Branding, Fair And Square
    There was a great cartoon in The New Yorker magazine back in 1999 when Ford bought Volvo cars. It was the first of the ill-fated American car moves to co-opt luxury brands. The cartoon showed a well-heeled couple at the breakfast table. The man was reading a newspaper with the "Ford Buys Volvo" headline. Caption: "Do you think Velveeta will now buy Brie?"
  • ENGAGE:AFFLUENT
    Hispanics: An Obvious But Too-often-overlooked Market Segment
    While marketers and advertisers have long paid attention to the growing market of American Hispanics in general, only recently has there been widespread interest in Hispanic Affluents. In fact, just last month we were invited to speak at a symposium on affluence and luxury, the theme of which was "Hispanic Affluents as an obvious but too-often-overlooked" market segment.
« Previous Entries