Go ahead Baby Boomers, make my decade. In fact make everyone’s decade. No really, we need you to. We’re counting on it because frankly our retail infrastructure may not survive without you. Yeah, yeah, Millennials are the future and Generation Xers are doing their part to build on the foundations paved by previous generations, but you Boomers still have the economic Midas Touch. Looking ahead even four years into the future, it’s evident that as go Boomers so goes America.

Travel with me if you will to the year 2020 — no DeLorean time machine necessary (my apologies to Marty McFly and Doc Brown). A sliver of clairvoyant market research courtesy of Packaged Facts’ American Consumers in 2020 is all we need for the journey.  

Christmas day in my family is still extremely fun because we have a number of children that are still young enough that their faith in Santa Claus hasn’t faltered. They write long wish lists to Santa, and they wake up early on Christmas morning hoping they have received all the toys they want most.

For parents all across the U.S., finding the top gifts with the best deals is crucial for keeping Christmas spending within their budgets. In 2014, 42 percent of shoppers planned on buying toys as gifts. In this blog, we will cover three major presents for children during the holiday season, including toys, electronics, and gift cards.

The U.S. luxury market is the largest in the world. According to the Federal Reserve Bulletin, the total number of millionaire households in the U.S. is 11.53 million. Because affluent shoppers have the highest potential to spend, they are key players in the consumer economy. It’s no surprise that a variety of companies target affluent consumers — from credit card companies like MasterCard to luxury brands like Chanel.

As Pope Francis arrives for his first visit to the U.S., the media spotlight will turn to the Catholic Church. In this blog post, we’ll help set the stage for his visit by taking a step back to explore different factors that are shaping the role of religion. What does survey data tell us about the demographics behind religion? And what religious trends can we expect to see in the future? Will Pope Francis manage to increase the appeal of the church through his visit? Read on for some possible answers.

You’ve probably heard that the National Retail Federation (NRF) has downgraded their retail sales forecast from 2015, from 4.1% increase to only 3.5% over 2014.  As a trade association for the retail industry, I don’t put too much stock into what they say, knowing that they want to, have to, put a positive spin on whatever they report, as Mark Twain said, “There are lies, damn lies and statistics.”  So the news of a downward adjustment of a forecast from the NRF is particularly notable, since the reality is probably much worse that they are likely to report.

What links such diverse travel marketers, like airlines, hotels, cruise lines, rental car agencies, travel agencies, tour operators, and travel media outlets, in their pursuit of sales, growth and profits? Those marketers that win and beat their direct competition will be the ones that understand the needs, wants and desires of the best potential customers and put insights into action with marketing strategies, tactics and guest services that really matter. 

When it comes down to the best potential customers for any travel marketer, it is the affluent consumer, people with plenty of disposable income to spend and an appetite for new, exotic, out-of-the-ordinary experiences.

When it comes to marketing, attempting to sell your audience on an idea or concept can sometimes be more challenging than simply selling a finite product. Historically, marketing sustainability has certainly faced its obstacles, particularly in the United States. Numerous approaches have been taken – some appeal to our higher purpose, or our environmental responsibility, while others believe it is more about focusing on the "me" factor, or the direct value to the consumer. Despite these challenges, recent studies are showing that U.S. consumer attitudes toward sustainability are trending optimistically, reaching an all-time high. With this in mind, marketing an environmentally-conscious brand story and business model may have an impact on more than just the environment; it may be as important as ever to your brand image and even your bottom-line.

Unity Marketing's look at the five most important trends for marketers targeting the U.S. affluent customer in 2015

2015 is shaping up to be a challenging year for luxury marketers, following last year, which wasn't particularly bright for luxury brands worldwide. Newly-affluent Chinese consumers cut back on luxury indulgences, and affluents in many Euro countries were impacted by a downturn in macroeconomic forces. Japan, the world's number two market for luxury, remains caught up in a long-standing recession, which only deepened at the end of 2014. And, while the U.S. economy looks stronger on paper, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the government agency that calculates the GDP, just reported that consumer spending declined by .3% in December, despite reported growth in personal income and disposable income. That means one thing: consumers are saving their gains, rather than spending them.

Unity Marketing's look at the most important trends for marketers targeting the U.S. affluent customer

In recent blog posts, we’ve explored the top trends shaping the luxury market in 2015. The overriding trend that will impact all marketers at the high-end is that affluents have settled into a mood of austerity. One way that affluents' austere mood is expressed is in a new style of shopping which trends toward mass rather than 'class,' and preference for premium, rather than heritage luxury brands.