(Un)deservingness distinctions impact envy subtypes: Implications for brand attitude and choice

Abstract

Deservingness is a key factor in distinguishing between malicious and benign envy, but there are important differences in how it impacts the intensity of each envy subtype. Across three studies using distinct competitive contexts and brand categories, we investigate these differences and examine the effects of envy subtypes on brand attitude and choice. The results show that the way envious individuals attribute causes to others' undeserved advantages impacts the intensity of their malicious envy. Past research had largely accepted that benign (malicious) envy occurs when the envied individual's advantage is perceived as deserved (undeserved). In contrast, we demonstrate that even in cases of perceived deserved advantage, individuals may experience malicious envy when they dislike the envied other. We thus suggest that marketers should be cautious when exploring envy as a marketing communication tool, using it only when they anticipate that consumers will feel benign but not malicious envy.