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Aalto University School of Business Master's Theses are now in the Aaltodoc publication archive (Aalto University institutional repository)
School of Business | Department of Marketing | Marketing | 2016
Thesis number: 14306
The consumption of well-being: Developing consumption practices of well-being in the context of medicalized water
Author: Huikari, Nelli
Title: The consumption of well-being: Developing consumption practices of well-being in the context of medicalized water
Year: 2016  Language: eng
Department: Department of Marketing
Academic subject: Marketing
Index terms: markkinointi; marketing; kuluttajakäyttäytyminen; consumer behaviour; kulutus; consumption; hyvinvointi; well-being; terveys; health; identiteetti; identity; tuotteet; products
Pages: 53
Full text:
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Key terms: consumption of well-being; consumer culture; consumer research; medicalization; health; wellness; well-being; ideology; identity; biomorality
Abstract:
Objectives The main objective of this study belonging to the consumer culture theory (CCT) research is to investigate how consumers develop practices of well-being through the consumption of medicalized water. Another objective is to study how the dominant health and wellness ideology affects this development of health consumption and consumer identity projects.

Methodology This research is qualitative and emergent in nature. Ten Finnish consumers of vitamin-infused water were interviewed and the transcripts of these interviews formed the empirical data of the study. The exploration belonged to the interpretive research approach and methods.

Key findings The key findings in this study are that three elements - biomorality, power of body over mind, and enhancement strategies - contribute to the development of well-being consumption practices in the context of medicalized water. The ideology of wellness plays a crucial role in this development, and biomorality is an integral part of this ideology.
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