Much has been written about today's affluent consumers being device-crazy. For example, according to a recent "Engage:Affluent" column by Stephen Krauss of Ipsos MediaCT, half of affluents now own smartphones and a quarter own tablets, and these numbers have been increasingly rapidly.

Despite the weakened Chinese economy, the appetite for luxury goods remains strong. What is interesting is that the Chinese look to the U.S. as a credible and desirable source of luxury goods. No longer does the U.S. sit a rung below France and Italy; it now sits side by side on the dais of luxury brands.

Economic growth has come to a halt; incomes are flat, the GDP has stalled, and corporate earnings are expected to remain stagnant through the end of the year. The affluent consumer market, however, continues to grow, and affluent marketing is increasing in its effectiveness. In order to capitalize on this apparent cross-current of economic conditions and marketing success, digital marketing and audience targeting become more influential than ever before.

Today we released the 2012 Mendelsohn Affluent Survey, marking our 36th consecutive year of tracking the lives, lifestyles and media habits of Affluent Americans (defined as the 59 million adults with $100K+ annual household income). We find, first and foremost, that the Affluent hunger for content and connectivity continues to grow.

Change of seasons creates powerful consumer engagement opportunities.

Jing Daily believes that "sending a child abroad to study is considered the ultimate luxury purchase."

Man, we love to come up with new catch-phrases and words. Then we torture them on social media, talk radio - everywhere. We have "binge viewers" instead of people who watch too much TV. We don't "hang out" anymore. We "chillax" or "thrillax." Even old-school phrases get the new torture treatment. These days politicians and everyone associated with them (which seems to be everybody) are ranting about the "one percent."

Ritz-Carlton. Omni Hotels. Alaska Airlines. Air Canada. These are the upscale brands that top the recently released JD Power and Associates travel survey. We know that all four of these companies are consistently noted for their customer service. Over-the-top customer service, in fact. The Ritz-Carlton credo says, "The Ritz-Carlton experience enlivens the senses, instills well-being, and fulfills even the unexpressed wishes and needs of our guests."

It's a summer of uncertainty, with Affluent optimism gyrating based on the latest economic news. It contributes to a fundamental irony: these days, Affluents simply don't feel affluent.

Each year, our research looks to uncover television's most anticipated programs among affluent consumers. This year, this important group has shown little to no interest in the Fall television season. When it comes to new programs premiering this fall, very few made the must-see list among high-income consumers. The list pales in comparison to the number of programs anticipated on the eve of the 2011 Fall television season. This lack of excitement for new shows may be the result of choice overload, lack of star power or just a laissez-faire attitude toward network TV.