Luxury Power 50

35. The Millennial Drinker

Age: 18-25

These bright young things, who will account for 40% of American drinkers in the next decade, are influencing the way luxury brands communicate about their products, forcing brands to be social media savvy by using Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and blogs. They are also influencing what their fellow Millennials are drinking.

Actively online and likely to trade up with their drinks in order to project a favourable self-image, Russian Millennials are particularly worth watching, with Russia ranked as the world’s most technologically engaged nation.