Is Innovation Shaped by Masculine Norms? A Longitudinal Case Study of a Consumer Product

In theories and metrics of product innovation, gender is invisible or ignored, and innovative products are presumed to be gender-neutral or agnostic. Yet, many ostensibly-innovative consumer products overlook the needs of women and gender non-conforming individuals, suggesting an implicit masculine framing. This research introduces a mixed-methods approach for analyzing gender scripts in product features and marketing, applied to a case study of the Apple Watch (2015–2024). Findings reveal a sustained reinforcement of gender norms: masculine-coded language and industrial design dominate how innovation is presented, even as objective technical improvements decline. In contrast, feminine-coded features, especially relational or user-centered ones, receive less emphasis in innovation framing. This work demonstrates how masculine value systems shape perceptions and theories of innovation and offers opportunities for future research on gender and design.