Emerging Brand Meanings in Wearable Sports Technology: A Case Study on Suunto Sports Watches

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to describe and analyse emerging brand meanings in the context of wearable sports technology. The theoretical framework is built on the concept of wearable sports technology and the contemporary literature on brand meanings. This empirical research is based on a case study of the Suunto Ambit3 Sport Sapphire watch. A qualitative projective ZMET-method is applied to generate data from ten interviews with Finnish female customers who own the Suunto Ambit3 Sport Sapphire watch. Eight themes are identified that incorporate several interconnected sub-meanings: well-being, connecting with nature, setting and achieving goals, expressing style, appreciating technological advancement, relying on professionalism, testing one’s limits, and embracing special experiences.