I track how luxury moves through culture, capital, and technology. I run NEON NAVY and lead marketing at Viperium. These Field Notes are where I think out loud: client work, market shifts, things worth noting. Written from Cape Town, Milan, Dubai, or wherever the work takes me.
Field Note 07: Jean & Carl Walk Into a Bar - Old Money Meets Young Money
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Hello everyone, It’s been a minute! I hope you’ve managed to catch some downtime this month. For those of you down south, scrolling through feeds while the Northern Hemisphere has been baking on Mediterranean beaches, I see you! Don’t worry, your summer’s coming. If you remember Field Note 04: The New Generation of Wealth & What They Really Want, I defined “Young Money” and “Old Money.” Here's a quick refresher:
These personas have been on my mind a lot since then. So much so that I pulled out two real-world examples to anchor my research. Meet Jean and Carl: Carl and Jean walk into a bar (probably a juice bar)… and now what? That’s exactly the question I’ve been exploring. Together with some of my luxury clients, I’m investigating how to satisfy the tastes of both personas:
Just this morning, NXGN released a White Paper, “The Rise of Next Gen Luxurians”, an insightful read that echoes my point: With luxury experiences being increasingly commoditised and generic, they (Gen Z) crave bespoke encounters that resonate deeply with their identities. As they seek not just self-actualisation but self-transcendence, responding to these nuanced expectations will be key to navigating the evolving shape of the experience economy. I don’t have all the answers yet. But I’m experimenting, mapping new personas, and testing ideas that go beyond just Jean and Carl. In the coming weeks, I’ll share more of this research on how to engage in ways that build not just reach, but community. For now, I’ll leave the seed with you and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Email me, text me, or send the post pigeon! Changing Lanes (and Accelerating)Those of you who’ve been following along know how passionate I am about translating trends and theory into real, measurable results. Over the quieter weeks of summer, I reflected. Preaching about luxury and high-net-worth engagement is one thing, delivering the experiences and strategies is another. Here’s what’s coming next from NEON NAVY and I: We’re Going to Get Together. 🍸
The Riviera Rush - A Private Driving Escape. 🚗💨💨 What I'm Into Right Now:📚 The Psychology of Money, by Morgan Housel Currently Working On:The Painted Pitch, by Storyhouse World INC: The Painted Pitch transforms 5-a-side football fields across Africa into permanent, artist-designed community hubs, fusing contemporary African art, sport, and youth empowerment into a living cultural movement. Here's some more information on this amazing project: STORYHOUSE_PAINTEDPITCH_OVERVIEW.pdf Sound interesting? Drop me a line and let’s explore the possibilities together. Thanks for reading everyone! Zantelle |
Zantelle van der Linde
I track how luxury moves through culture, capital, and technology. I run NEON NAVY and lead marketing at Viperium. These Field Notes are where I think out loud: client work, market shifts, things worth noting. Written from Cape Town, Milan, Dubai, or wherever the work takes me.
Field Notes has a new home. If you've landed here from an old link, welcome. And thank you for finding your way back. Field Notes has moved to Beehiiv, where it has a fresh new look, a new online archive, and a better reading experience all round. All 14 issues are waiting for you there, and Field Note 15 is on its way very soon. READ FIELD NOTES ON BEEHIIV See you on the other side. Zantelle
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