Q&A
May 24, 2012
By Mickey Alam Khan
The aspirational/symbolic buyers that most luxury marketers are chasing have all but disappeared in this economy, according to one of the leading luminaries in the luxury marketing world.
{"ct":"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","iv":"cfd6c1983581855c3ff39c2519d8ec57","s":"d8c4ef628f91ea71"}
Share your thoughts. Click here