Luxury Consumer Trends: Brand Apathy


A recent report by The Shullman Luxury and Affluence Monthly Pulse suggests that affluent individuals planning to buy luxury items are not considering specific name brands.

This finding is completely in line with what Mascola Group has found in research we’ve done for clients, particularly in the Ultra High Net Worth (UHNW) category. The higher up an individual is on the income scale, the less likely they are to care about brand names. It’s one of many luxury consumer trends that gained steam after the recession and may stick around with us for quite some time.

This does not mean, however, that brands can’t gain loyal UHNW or other luxury consumers. In fact, it means that the field is wide open. Wealthy individuals want to consider all of their options when it comes to big money purchases. The brand that gives them exactly what they want can win the game.

Here are three quick tips on how to get — and retain — your piece of the pie:

  1. Emphasize the value of your product. By value, I don’t mean low price. Affluent and ultra-affluent consumers are looking for the best possible quality they can get for their money. If you don’t have quality, you need to revamp your product or sell down (preferably the former).
  2. Make the sales cycle experiential. From the time you draw them in to the time you close the deal, the consumer should feel engaged but not as though they have to do too much to get to the next step. It should be effortless and informal but tasteful at the same time.
  3. Continue to nurture the relationship after the sale is made. Don’t just check in to make sure they are happy. Send them tips and insights that are relevant to your product, service, or industry. If they like the way you treat them and feel that you are educating them, they’ll tell their friends how great you are. Is there anything better than that?

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