envy

n : painful or resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by another joined with a desire to possess the same advantage

     Gucci has developed a product with the name of Envy -- a fragrance for me. Ironic? I don't think so. This product is developed to mean exactly what its name is, Envy. This is an example of how consumers could come to identify with a product for the meaning of its name alone. Does the person wearing Envy feel envious of others, or is he supposed to make others feel envious of him? Are consumers that do not own the Envy fragrance supposed to envy Envy?     

Q -- "I love that scent.  What are you wearing?," asks Jane.  

A -- "It's Envy by Gucci," replies John.

How does Jane react to the name? Does she feel John is something forbidden. Sly. Mischievous. Off-limits. Has John suddenly become a complex individual to Jane because of his taste of fragrance? Whatever the meaning or message -- Gucci is mass marketing the second deadly sin.     

     What is this female thinking in the ad above? As the copy reads, "I was really bummed I couldn't join my friends on their bike trip. Especially when they sent me an e-mail every 20 miles." Is she jealous? Maybe envious? You bet she is. Everyone reading this ad is supposed to feel the same. She either buys a bike or a Phillips e-mail device to rid herself of this sin. Yeah, she may already own a bike and an e-mail device and is stuck at work -- but she is still has resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by others. 

     Is envy accentuated through advertising? Are people conditioned to feel jealous of others? My answer is yes. From products bearing the name of envy to social situations that leave one in a jealous state --we are slowly conditioned to believe that someone else has an advantage over ourselves. This may or may not be directly related to the product or brand at hand -- as could be the case in the ad above. The girl above is simply bummed out because of an advantage enjoyed by others. She cannot be with them and is therefore envious, but knows what they are doing.  She at least has the luxury of knowing this through e-mail. How are those who do not have e-mail supposed to feel? Maybe a little jealous? You bet. Advertising is full of these kinds of ads for high and low involvement products and brands. The purpose is to make you think how much better your life would be with a particular product.

     At this terrace, those who lived out envy as humans are atoned with charity. Once this is reconciled, the third terrace of wrath is found.    

intro / pride / envy / wrath / sloth

greed / gluttony / lust / conclusion