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":"8d4188c0a31a7357cc24dd4c8ebb951c","s":"fe62fef402ea3e8a"}
Share your thoughts. Click here