A powerful new target group is driving buying habits across multiple categories
NEW YORK, Oct. 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Affluencers, a powerful grouping of Affluent consumers who also influence others’ shopping and buying behaviors, represent 71% of all Affluents, according to the Fall 2017 Ipsos Affluent Survey released this month.
The Survey defines “Affluent” as adults living in households with at least $125,000 in annual household income, a group that reflects the top 16% of American households.
“While most marketers have understood that the Affluent audience is important due to their buying power and purchase behaviors especially in luxury and high-ticket categories, we’ve found that their influence is felt in nearly every category,” said Michael Baer, SVP and Head of Affluent Intelligence Group, Ipsos Connect.
Marketers are becoming more and more interested in reaching out to and engaging Influencers – due to the factors like media fragmentation, quality and transparency issues of the media supply chain, and the rise of ad blockers. Thus, the idea of reaching a targeted group of people who are particularly powerful and influential is spreading.
Which is why the identification of the Affluencers is so important – this target has the potential to not only represent a disproportionate amount of purchases, they also represent a group that is sought for their advice and purchasing input across all categories. In addition, Affluencers on average consume more media than general Affluents, with both print and digital publications up +9%.
Other key findings from the survey include:
- Affluencers spend 40% more than other Affluents on all categories, and 3.6X as much as non-Affluents.
- Affluencers are early adopters to new technology, innovations and new products – again influencing the adoption and purchase of new products beyond themselves.
- Affluencers have the highest levels of future purchase intent in the categories they influence – from 10% to 400% more
- All Affluencers influence others’ shopping and buying in at least one category, while 50% of all Affluencers express their influence in 5+ categories. In addition, 97% say that others seek them out for their advice across many product and service categories.
Affluent Americans: Home is Where the Heart Is
It’s said that home is where the heart is. This is certainly true of America’s Affluent population, whose second largest expenditure overall is related to home and garden.
It might surprise you to learn that 51% take on DIY projects, or that furniture is the category in which they most outspend non-Affluent (by more than 3 times). In this infographic, we share more insights from the Ipsos Affluent Survey, the longest-running, most widely-used study of Affluent Americans.
For over 40 years, publishers, agencies and brand marketers have used the insights from our studies of the lives, lifestyles, purchase patterns and media habits of financially successful Americans to plot future strategies, products, business development, and marketing communication.
Affluent Americans: 5 Surprising Facts
As a marketer, you probably want to know that American Affluents outspend non-Affluent Americans by more than 2.5 times.
Did you know that Affluent Americans:
- Outspend non-Affluent in 92% of categories measured
- Own non-luxury cars
- Prefer to spend on experiences over ‘things’
- Shop at mainstream big box stores
- Read more publications in relation to their wealth
The Ipsos Affluent Survey is the longest-running, most widely-used study of Affluent Americans. For over 40 years, publishers, agencies and brand marketers have used the insights from our studies of the lives, lifestyles, purchase patterns and media habits of financially successful Americans to plot future strategies, products, business development, and marketing communication.
To access our video presentation, infographic, and study methodology, visit here.
Ipsos is an independent market research company controlled and managed by research professionals. Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos has grown into a worldwide research group with a strong presence in all key markets. Visit here.
