You may not have heard of the K-shaped economy, but it’s likely you are familiar with what it looks like. The wealthier are getting wealthier, the middle is squeezed, and it’s tougher times for the rest.

The evidence and anecdotes are all around. Harry Styles’ ticket prices; private jets departing the Bay Area after the Super Bowl; American Airlines adding first class and premium seats while cutting from economy.

Wealth for the top 0.001% is up 8%; it is stagnant for the bottom 50%.

In the business world, it explains why some of the wealthiest companies are adding pop-up salons, golf simulators, and Michelin-recognised in-house kitchens to their corporate HQs. Tech’s Big Four (Microsoft, Meta, Google, and Amazon) have signalled a collective $650 billion capex spend for 2026 alone, a 60% increase from 2025. For the not so fortunate it’s redundancies and travel bans.

You may see it in the advocacy world. Exclusive lounges for tier-1 customers at the annual get-together; Idris Elba or Keanu Reeves conducting your case study interviews; Oscars-level hair and make-up for the customer video. All while genAI churns out low-level content with your tier-2 customers, involving less and less human oversight.

There is a fine line between aspirational and divisive.

The requirement to do more with less is a valid one. Efficiencies can unlock time and resources that could be better spent elsewhere. But do not lose track of the goal of advocacy: to strengthen ties with your best customers. Experience matters. Efficiency is one thing; penny-pinching and short-cuts are another.

Or, to put it in airline industry terms, no one feels great when they’re steered right on the plane, carrying their neck pillow and packed lunch.