Conspicuous Consumption in Sport – Do Athletes Behave Conspicuously?

Conspicuous consumption is constantly evolving due to the availability of goods and the technology development. People have many opportunities to express their values, beliefs, and personalities through product and price is no longer the main factors determining whether a product is suitable for conspicuous consumption. With the development of social networks such as Instagram, the influence of recommendations by influencers are gaining momentum. By consuming similar products (and brands) as those consumed by influencers, consumers seek to demonstrate their similarity to influencers and thus join a particular social group. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between influencer marketing and the perception of sports products as conspicuous and to specify the purchasing behavior for sportswear. Primary data were collected using an online questionnaire focusing on Generation Z (n = 240) and in-depth interviews (n = 10). The questionnaire was based on previous studies of conspicuousness and status consumption and included a set of 22 statements. Data were processed using a factorial analysis in which statements were grouped into several main factors. These factors were examined through regression analysis, with the explanatory variable being the tendency toward conspicuous consumption. Although, the quantitative data analysis did not reveal a tendency toward conspicuous consumption of sports products, the qualitative analysis supports this relationship.