PATENTED PERFORMANCE: DRIVING THE MARKETING AND BRANDING OF OURA AND MUSE FOR STUDENT ATHLETE WELLNESS

Abstract

This research shows how brands use patented technology as a marketing tool to position health monitoring wearables for student athletes, exemplified by the Oura Ring and Muse Headband. Intellectual property and patents act as a signal of integrity and performance guarantees, driving marketing strategies that target niche segments such as student athletes. While these products assist with stress reduction, improving focus and improving mental well-being, they track EEG waves and heart rate to assess consumers’ cognitive and overall health conditions. This enables niche segments such as student athletes to maintain a balance between academics and sports. While wearable technology offers increasing benefits in daily life, research comparing devices of similar caliber remains limited. This research evaluates the efficiency of marketing strategies that leverage patents and intellectual property to strengthen companies’ market positions, focusing on student athlete wellness and their challenges in balancing academic expectations alongside sports performance.

Methodology: This study adopts a qualitative secondary research design, exclusively analysing online and publicly available data, including previously published research, patent documentation, product marketing materials, company reports, and media articles. No interviews or primary data collection were conducted. The approach centers on rigorous content analysis and thematic synthesis of secondary sources to explore how patents and intellectual property influence marketing, branding strategies, and trust in wearable wellness technologies for student athletes.

Findings: Analysis of secondary data shows that patents and visible intellectual property achievements increase perceived credibility, trust, and willingness to adopt wearable technologies among student athletes. Reviewed materials highlight how companies strategically leverage patent status and legal victories in public marketing to differentiate themselves and substantiate scientific claims.

Practical implications: The findings indicate that marketers and institutions should foreground patents and IP status in wellness product communications to promote acceptance and trust among student athletes. Institutions selecting technology for athlete wellness programming may consider prioritising products with documented IP protection and scientific validation to maximise engagement and perceived efficacy (Cheong et al., 2023).

Keywords

student athletes, wellness technology, wearable devices, patents, intellectual property, secondary data, marketing, branding, and qualitative research.

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To cite this article

Tarun Suresh, Tanush, C. P., & Sahil Bansal. (2025). Patented Performance: Driving the Marketing and Branding of Oura and Muse for Student Athlete Wellness. John Foundation Journal of EduSpark, 7(4), 60-85.