ABSTRACT
Chapter 3 approaches the public display of luxury along with the concept of ethical hubris. World-famous athletes, CEOs, actors, or country leaders are not only recognized for their professional achievements but they also sometimes draw public attention due to a luxury timepiece on their wrist. Some celebrities are perceived as role models, inducing “normal” consumers’ desire to buy similar luxury items that the celebrities display in public. However, celebrities and organizational leaders are sometimes met with great reluctance when seen flaunting luxury items in public. This chapter discusses notions of desirable/undesirable luxury along with illustrative cases of organizational leaders flaunting and then concealing their luxury watches from the public, even via digital image retouching. Five illustrative cases provide insights into the dynamism of public luxury display and when desirable luxury becomes undesirable. The cases cover a former prime minister of Australia, an ex-Siemens CEO, and the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church. Along with the theoretical perspective of leadership hubris, we offer a contribution in this chapter by refining the ethicality of luxury products flaunted in public.
