We've all heard it: branding and consumerism in the 21st Century is a global village, a place of hyper-specialization and fragmentation, right? Well, one very current trend that seems to be going against that tide lies in a new generation of "polymath creatives" that is discreetly but powerfully shaping luxury markets from automobile design to fashion.

Volvo ran a series of ads earlier this year using the theme, "Our idea of Luxury is Simplicity." What Volvo astutely realized is that a rewarding relationship feels easy and uncomplicated and that buyers of luxury goods and services are seeking a seamless, effortless experience, not only finely-crafted products.

Marketing to affluent audiences relies heavily on reaching audiences that have the spending capacity to afford a brand or service. This includes both a brand's existing customers, as well as prospects who match the spending or behavioral characteristics of those valuable existing consumers. The trick is for marketers to use all of the data and tools at their disposal to reach both existing and untapped audiences.

Luxury, affluence, and wealth marketers define their target markets in many different ways (by income, wealth, generation, buying habits, attitudinally, etc.).