Magazine B Issue 25 (Suunto) is available now at LOREM (not Ipsum). Suunto, a Finnish maker of sports precision watches, got its start in 1936 when orienteer Tuomas Vohlonen invented a new method for manufacturing liquid-filled compasses. The company has developed a range of devices, from underwater and nautical compasses to industrial hypsometers, and also created the world’s first underwater dive computer. Suunto has expanded its horizons to cover outdoor and lifestyle products, and it continues to reinvent itself as an authentic
premium sports brand.
People who aren’t particularly enthusiastic about brands often tell me that they wonder whether people aren’t driven to excessive vanity and greed by brands that hype their products with functions that aren’t really necessary. For example, there are people who set out to hike the hills behind their houses wearing mountaineering getups made of special materials invented for Himalayan expeditions. Others will invest in ultralight professional racing bikes just to pedal along the flat paths by the Han River. Then there are the people who buy high-end digital cameras capable of outputting images at staggering resolutions when all they needed was something to occasionally capture memories with families and friends.
I believe that most people want to express their own dreams and desires in different ways. Even if only in their imaginations, they become outdoor adventurers struggling against the forces of nature, athletes striving for new records, or a photographer capturing a historic moment. Of course, it’s not good to get obsessed with excessively expensive brands. But it’s also important that we don’t disparage other people’s dreams and desires as “unnecessary overspending.” Instead, we should try to understand the hidden connection between human nature and business.
Magazine B Issue 25 (Suunto) features Suunto, a Finnish maker of functional sports watches that measure and quantify various aspects of the outdoor environment. Since Suunto’s foundation in 1936 as a compass maker, the company has won the hearts of numerous outdoor sports lovers with its diving depth gauges, mountaineering altimeters, and GPS-enabled sports watches. But the unique identity of Suunto products allows for them to be enjoyed in urban environments as well, and they can also be seen on the wrists of suit-wearing businessmen. Suunto features attractive designs that set the brand apart from the militaristic designs of other outdoor gear makers, and ultimately, Suunto appeals to not only outdoor users, but also those who dream of the outdoor life. Discover Suunto in Magazine B Issue 25 (Suunto).
Magazine B is an ad-less monthly publication that introduces one well-balanced brand unearthed from around the globe in each issue. Between its covers, Magazine B not only shares untold stories behind the brand but also its sentiment and culture that any readers interested in brand marketing and management can leaf through with ease. Magazine B attempts to discover truly good brands from today’s market where countless brand-named products are overflowing. Magazine B pursues its quest for true value of a printed medium by becoming a magazine that would be worth possessing, not affected by advertisements since it receives no financial support from the brand, and maintains a unique and independent perspective which is increasingly disappearing due to overflowing information mingled among different media outlets.
Magazine B dedicates each issue to the story of one specific brand, which is one of the well-balanced brands that JOH. discovers from around the world based on four standards: beauty, practicality, price, and philosophy. And each issue is packed with B’s unique insights and in-depth analysis. Magazine B will continue to search brands that it pursues to introduce cover-to-cover, such as Swiss recycled bag manufacturer Freitag and Japanese camping gear maker Snow Peak.
Content
INTRO
The founder of Suunto was inspired to create an improved compass by his experience in orienteering.
LINEUP
B takes a look at Suunto’s products, dividing them into the exploration lines which most clearly show the company’s roots, and the lifestyle lines that have resulted from more recent expansions.
FEATURES
B compares Suunto’s signature products, each equipped with GPS, speedometer, and altimeter, with other professional equipment offering each of those functions.
SYSTEM
After planning a simple run with an Ambit2, we observe how Suunto’s software system connects with Movescount.com, where the data collected is analyzed.
MOMENTS
B met the Suunto users who make the products, use the platforms, and strive for better records.
VS
Suunto tailors each product to its use: be it hiking, diving, or mountaineering. But other conventional watchmakers also offer specialized models comparable to Suunto products.
PRESENTERS
From boutique stores to high-end department stores, Suunto products are offered in a wide range of stores.
DAILY WATCHES
B asked Suunto users about the watches they choose for everyday use.
TALK OF THE SCENE
Here are some people who wear professional sports watches from other brands.
B’S CUT
These are the captured impressions of Suunto, from a hand-held compass to the company’s wrist-mounted products.
BRAND STORY
Suunto came from a Finnish noun suunta, which means “direction.” As the brandname suggests, Suunto has continued to chart a course of its own.
OUTRO
Suunto is a wrist-top computer for both natural exploration and urban life. For the brand’s users, every day is an expedition to discover new regions in life.
Details: Magazine B – Issue 25 (Suunto)
240 x 170 mm, 124 pages
