What Exactly Is the Affluent Class?
“The Current Values and Mindset of the Affluent”—What We Uncovered Through Face-to-Face Meetings

Introduction

The “Dentsu Inc. High-Net-Worth Marketing Project” is a team that provides insights and solutions to clients looking to engage with the high-net-worth segment. For this project, we define the “high-net-worth segment” as “those with net financial assets of 100 million yen or more per household.”This demographic has doubled in size over the past decade and is expected to continue growing. As the market’s presence grows, even companies that have traditionally targeted the mass market are finding it increasingly important to engage with the “high-net-worth segment” when planning future strategies.

On the other hand, the true nature of the affluent segment remains elusive. “We need to devise strategies for the affluent, but we can’t fully grasp their reality.” “We’re proceeding based on assumptions that go no further than our imagination, and the lack of a tangible sense of reality makes us uneasy.” In response to such feedback from clients, the Dentsu Inc. Affluent Marketing Project was launched.What we value most is understanding their true nature and sentiments—aspects that cannot be revealed through data or desk research alone. By actually meeting with high-net-worth individuals and engaging in repeated dialogue, we are unraveling each person’s values, behaviors, and the inner voices that lie beneath them.

We have met with approximately 320 “high-net-worth individuals” *As of September 2026

It has been just over three years since the project began. To date, we have met with more than 320 individuals.By listening to people from a wide range of demographics—including age, gender, region, and occupation—we take care to capture their characteristics without bias. Our interviewees include individuals in positions of social influence, as well as people we would not normally have the opportunity to meet. Therefore, we conduct our interviews with great care, drawing on advice from experts who interact with high-net-worth individuals on a daily basis regarding communication techniques and the right mindset.

We delve deep into their individual values, lifestyles, purchasing criteria, approaches to parenting, and even their life philosophies—such as what kind of future they envision for themselves—through in-depth interviews (sometimes even visiting them at home!). Based on each person’s unique perspective, we gain a high-resolution understanding of target audience insights that cannot be obtained from open data alone, and we work side-by-side with our clients to help them formulate their next strategic steps as they engage with the high-net-worth market.

Through these sincere dialogues with high-net-worth individuals, we’ve discovered that their ways of thinking and behaviors are brimming with business insights. While this is by no means an easy market to navigate, through this series, we hope to convey the depth and potential of high-net-worth marketing—as we experience it firsthand every day.

A Glimpse into the Values of the “High-Net-Worth” Segment

While the stories and perspectives we heard were diverse, several themes emerged that were strongly shared by many. In this installment, we’ll introduce five such values, along with actual comments. (We’ve also included business insights developed by members of Dentsu Inc.’s High-Net-Worth Marketing Project as they listened to these stories. Please feel free to take a look at those as well.)

Value 1: The Keywords Are “Only Now, Only Here, Only for Me”

Business Insight: To capture the hearts of the affluent—who are constantly exposed to a wide range of services and hospitality—it’s crucial to create a sense of “exclusivity” and “uniqueness.” Furthermore, since word-of-mouth recommendations from trusted individuals hold the most influence among this demographic, it’s essential to design communication strategies that build trust.

Value 2: Active Investment in Education and Experience

Business Tip: Since many high-net-worth individuals place greater value on “experiential assets” than on “tangible assets,” they may be more willing to spend if you can bundle a special experience with a product. When designing an experience, it’s crucial to carefully consider exactly what kind of learning it will provide.

Value 3: A Well-Being Mindset in Every Aspect

Business Tip: In every aspect, they use criteria such as “Am I promoting the physical and mental well-being of myself and those around me?” and “Are my choices creating a positive cycle in society?” When creating facilities or content, always incorporate a well-being perspective.

Value 4: Empathy for Corporate Philosophy and Backstory Is a Must

Business Tip: High-net-worth individuals place far greater importance on a company’s philosophy and the stories behind it than one might imagine. When creating a brand that appeals to this demographic, it is essential to design storytelling that resonates with their emotional nuances.

Value 5: Live by the principle of “GIVE & GIVE & GIVE”

Business Tip: This value serves not only as a daily guiding principle but also as a major guiding principle for “supporting the next generation” and “philanthropy (social contribution)”—areas that today’s high-net-worth individuals are focusing on. It is important to approach these efforts not only from the perspective of personal benefit but also from the perspective of how they contribute to the future.

Summary of the Values We’ve Explored

In Conclusion

Through interviews like these, our High-Net-Worth Marketing Project continuously identifies, analyzes, and updates the insights hidden deep within the hearts of the affluent—insights that are otherwise difficult to uncover.
What we introduced in Part 1 represents only a very small fraction of these foundational values. We’ll delve into the deeper layers of this world and share further insights in future installments.

If you’d like to learn more or are interested in exploring this market, please feel free to contact us. (Contact: junko.maeda@dentsu.co.jp )