If you haven't noticed, there's a boom in American whiskey right now. Led by bourbon, the category has grown 40% in the past decade, with revenue growth of 47% to $2.7 billion in 2014. The "International Wine and Spirits Review" forecasts 20% growth in the next five years. Supply can hardly keep up with demand, leading to shortages of the amber liquid in top markets across the country. And it's the favorite way for pop culture heavyweights to booze up, from Don Draper on "Mad Men" to Frank Underwood on "House of Cards" to Raylin Givins on "Justified." Like vodka …

In an era with more media options, more advertising, and more consumer choice than ever before, brands find themselves in intense competition for customer dollars and loyalty. Faced with so many available options, consumers' buying decisions are less predictable than they were in the past, largely because cost is not always the primary concern.

If you haven't noticed, there's a boom in American whiskey right now. Led by bourbon, the category has grown 40% in the past decade, with revenue growth of 47% to $2.7 billion in 2014. The International Wine and Spirits Review forecasts 20% growth in the next five years. Supply can hardly keep up with demand, leading to shortages of the amber liquid in top markets across the country. And it's the favorite way for pop culture heavyweights to booze up, from Don Draper on "Mad Men" to Frank Underwood on "House of Cards" to Raylin Givins on "Justified." Like vodka …

When marketers to affluent Americans think about how to reach and potentially communicate their messages to millionaires in ways beyond the traditional and beyond today's many digital media channels, they need to realize that millionaires are really different from mainstream consumers. Also, not surprisingly, the millionaire generations differ materially from one another.

We just made it through a record-breaking Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but that's just the beginning. It's that time of year when retailers across the country go into hyper-sales mode to push brands in front of shoppers with open wallets. When consumers are conditioned to expect discounts and deals, we've got to look at how luxury brands stay authentic when taking on the holiday shopping season. While 2016 may not be particularly different than years past, there's something refreshing about luxury brands that keep discounts off the table, staying true to an original brand, and innovating their approach to …