High Net Worth + Luxury

Globally, the top 1% control roughly half of all wealth. In the United States — home to more millionaires than any other country — that figure approaches 70%, according to Boston Consulting Group. And this concentration of economic power continues to grow.

High net worth marketing is therefore not the domain of a few luxury brands; it is essential to any enterprise seeking to engage the world’s most influential consumers. Criterion Global’s expertise in luxury marketing and media buying spans fashion, financial services, and hospitality — sectors united by their focus on high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs and UHNWIs).

In this space, paid media buying plays a pivotal role. The most successful brands cultivate scarcity and cultural relevance, creating a deliberate imbalance of supply and demand. Done right, paid media fuels that relevance — and drives enduring demand.

High net worth marketing can seem like a paradox. It's about maintaining the scarcity of products and attracting an ever "scarcer" slice of society. Luxury marketing demands paid media buying tactics that “pull” prospects in - with the unique, special, and rare. This is a departure from standard “push” tactics common to mass consumer marketing.

For a high net worth audience, you have to “know to know.” Ubiquitous awareness creates, as Scott Galloway aptly put it, "a generation of empty-calorie brands — Kylie Cosmetics, Dollar Shave Club, Andrew Tate — built on sand." The scarcity of products, and selective exposure creates value in the minds of discerning consumers. It’s not about blanket reach. Or likes. Or views. We create luxury marketing strategies that pique curiosity. Makes pulses rise. And makes the right eyebrows raise.

Worldwide, there are an estimated 510,810 ultra-high net worth individuals; those with $30MM+ USD in investable assets. Marketing to these privileged few requires a laser, not a cannon. Additionally, the ultra-wealthy are a nomadic group, which is why media buying in service of luxury and high net worth marketing demands digital and data fluency as well as a global mindset.

At its best, luxury marketing lends surprise and delight to brand discovery and customer acquisition. As the number of ultra-high net worth individuals (UHNWIs) grows along with their total wealth, and as consumers from emerging economies revel in refined appetites, both legacy brands and new entrants will continue to fight for share of mind and market.

Criterion Global represents a diverse portfolio of luxury brands — from cross-generational timepieces and international beauty brands releasing a new scent to bespoke home insurers serving high net worth clients and luxury footwear houses pioneering digital-first customization. Across each category, we bring the strategy, experience, and precision required to elevate brand perception, grow share of mind, and drive measurable returns.

Whether your goal is to modernize your luxury marketing and media buying, expand into new markets, strengthen cultural relevance, or nurture enduring client loyalty, you need a partner who thinks beyond formula. At Criterion Global, we innovate for brands that lead.