Study: Resentment makes brands successful

Envy makes a premium brand really desirable, but is too rarely used in marketing. This is the conclusion reached by Advico Young & Rubicam in the study "Envy and resentment". The agency in Gockhausen has identified four success factors for an envy brand: Differentiation, Appreciation, Relevance and Familiarity. The envy factor is at its greatest when a brand or product stands out. Something inconspicuous does not arouse envy, so the brand needs a high degree of differentiation, AY&R found. The brand must also not be too commonplace - something that is too banal will not arouse envy. Paradoxically, the less you actually need a brand, the more appealing it becomes.an enviable brand must polarize: Some people love it, others hate it. A brand with a high envy factor therefore only achieves mediocre results in terms of appreciation. Too much familiarity is detrimental to the envy factor. According to the study, brands should therefore always remain a little mysterious. People are particularly envious of brands that they know little about or that only a few insiders know about. The AY&R study sees the current masstige trend (mass product + prestige) as a long-term threat to the brand portfolio because the brands are in danger of slipping out of the "envy zone".
The AY&R study also provides very specific tips: the price should no longer just be the amount that has to be paid for a product - the price should become a positioning tool. Or: Brand managers must ensure that their customers are seen by those who cannot afford the product. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.