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Transcript of puma
Introduction
PUMA is one of the world’s foremost sport lifestyle companies that designs and
develops footwear, apparel and accessories. It is committed to working in ways
that contribute to the world by supporting Creativity, Sustainability and Peace, and
by staying honest to the principles of being fair, honest, positive and creative in
decisions made and actions taken.
PUMA starts in Sport and ends in Fashion. It’s Sport Performance and Lifestyle
labels comprise various categories such as Football, Running, Motorsports, Golf
and Sailing. Sport Fashion features collaborations with renowned designer labels
such as Alexander McQueen, Mihara Yasuhiro and Sergio Rossi.
The PUMA Group owns the brands PUMA, Cobra Golf and Tretorn. The
company, which was founded in the year 1948, and it distributes its products in
more than 120 countries; Puma employs more than 9,000 people worldwide and
has headquarters in Herzogenaurach (Germany), Boston, London and Hong Kong.
Code of ethics
This Business Code of Ethics sets out in writing PUMA’s commitment to ethical and responsible
individual and corporate behavior. It lists their most important principles and contains guidelines
for the interaction with all of their stakeholders. With this community in mind, and in addition to
their existing Supplier Code of Conduct, they have developed the following Code:
• PUMA respects and upholds the laws and legal requirements in all countries where
it operates
• PUMA and its employees must not engage in any activities leading to conflicts of
interest or unjustified personal benefits
• PUMA does not financially support any political parties
• PUMA encourages and supports its employees’ participation in charitable work
• PUMA believes all people have the right to freedom from discrimination. PUMA
maintains an equal opportunity hiring policy and expects its employees and
partners in their daily work and actions to uphold ethical behavior and respect for
human rights.
• PUMA does not tolerate any forms of violence or abuse and will seek opportunities
for conflict resolution
• PUMA respects the individual right to freedom of religion
• PUMA respects consumer privacy and will not share personal data with third
parties without explicit prior consent
• PUMA acknowledges its responsibility to protect stakeholders, consumers, and the
environment from harm and works toward the concept of “sustainable
development”.
They at PUMA AG declare their strict adherence to the respect of Human Rights.
PUMA opens first carbon neutrally-operated company headquarters in the
sportlifestyle and sporting goods industry
Just two years after laying the foundations for the new building, PUMA opened its new
company headquarters in Herzogenaurach, the “PUMAVision Headquarters” in the autumn
of 2009. It is the first carbon neutrally-operated company headquarters in its industry sector.
The headquarters at PUMA’s German base near Nuremberg is called “PUMAVision
Headquarters” as the construction of the complex, which covers a total area of 50.000
square metres, was strictly guided by PUMA’s sustainability concept, PUMAVision.
Through the implementation of numerous innovative energy-saving concepts throughout the
office building, the Brand Center and the world’s largest PUMA factory outlet store, PUMA
has chosen a new path toward environmental protection. On the roof of the outlet center a
photovoltaic generating station of 1,000 square meters was installed and an additional 140
square meters of solar modules were integrated into the window front. Water is heated
partly through solar energy. Motion sensors which turn lights off automatically when
employees leave their workplace also ensure energy conservation. Furthermore, the
buildings are heated and cooled sustainably through concrete core temperature control, a
method which is up to the highest ecological standards. To save on water the toilets in the
restrooms are flushed with rainwater collected in a cistern. Through these energy-saving
concepts PUMA is making a significant contribution to climate protection and significantly
saves electricity, CO2 and water,and therefore also money.
Electricity for the PUMA building in Herzogenaurach is generated from renewable energy
sources only, meaning the company has been able to considerably cut down its carbon
footprint. In order to offset the remaining CO2 emissions, PUMA actively supports a wind
farm in Turkey as a compensation project. Through this, PUMA has reached an ambitious
goal – PUMAVision Headquarters is the first carbon neutral company headquarters in the
sportlifestyle and sporting goods industry. Another prime concern besides environmental
protection was the creation of attractive working conditions for the 650 employees. The
PUMAVision Headquarters is designed in a modern and stylish ambiance, perfectly
representing PUMA’s philosophy. The building’s 107 ample single and open plan offices
are flooded with light via the floor-to-ceiling windows, fusing functional design and the
highest possible flexibility. Using mobile interior elements, spaces can easily be modified
according to the needs of specific projects and workshops, thus conforming to PUMA’s flat
and decentralized corporate structure.
The Brand Center covers a total area of 10.000 square meters and houses five showrooms
displaying PUMA’s innovative sportlifestyle collections, as well as a multimedia hall,
which holds up to 1,500 people during presentations and events, and which can also be
hired out externally. The architectural plans for PUMAVision Headquarters were inspired
by the strength, energy and ease symbolized by PUMA’s unique logo of a jumping wild cat,
and this is also represented in the building’s aesthetics. The PUMA Factory Outlet Store,
which reminds of a red PUMA shoe box, offers PUMA collections on an area covering
3000 square meters’.
Brand Philosophy
With the objective of being "The Most Desirable and Sustainable Sport lifestyle
Company”, PUMA's position as one of the few, true multi-category brands is to be
strengthened and the opportunities offered by the sport lifestyle market are to be
systematically exploited in all categories and regions. As a multi-category supplier,
PUMA is active in categories and business fields/divisions that suit its unique
brand positioning, and in which permanent value increases can be achieved for the
company. PUMA is positioned as a sport lifestyle brand that takes pleasure in
skilfully combining sports and lifestyle influences and which strives to contribute
to a better world. The above-mentioned brand positioning is to be supported by
selectively expanding the existing product categories, by regional expansion, and
by expansion with non-PUMA brands.
In 2009, they continued to strengthen their Sport lifestyle brand through unique
events and marketing campaigns – from PUMA City in
Boston during the Volvo Ocean Race North American
stopover to Usain Bolt’s ‘Who Faster?’ campaign in
Berlin during the World Championships.
In 2009, Puma also refined their brand manual. “10” is
the very first brand manual to incorporate the four keys
to success of the global PUMA Vision – fair, honest,
positive and creative. Their brand mission – to be the
most desirable Sport lifestyle brand in the world – has
not changed at all.
They have brought back the spirit of the DJ in their
new Brand Promise to joyfully mix the influences of
Sport and Lifestyle with the desire to contribute to a
better world. “Joy” is what they will try to bring to
their consumers and is what will differentiate us from their competition – it’s their
point-of-view. While others talk about blood, sweat and tears of sport, they
recognize that they cannot be the only rewards. Rather, they’ll talk about the
moments of joy inherent in both sport and life. They are the brand that remembers
what it was like to play the game – and to play it with joy.
It’s what they’ve always done best and now the time is right to bring the joy back
again. So when they think about product, about marketing, retail or anything in the
business, the first question it must ask is: Where is the Joy? It could be the feeling
of running fast on a track, or getting social with your friends playing ping pong at a
bar. Joy is being the best while having fun doing it. With their fine tuned position
of ‘joy’ and their refined brand manual, “10,” they look forward to becoming a
stronger, more confident brand and continuing the tradition of fun-infused product
and campaigns.
Leaders
Rudolf Dassler
Rudolf dassler founded his company PUMA in 1948 and at the
same time, he registered the first PUMA logo picturing a puma
jumping through a slim letter “d” (for dassler).This logo is
reliving a revival with “Rudolf dassler schunfabrik”collection,
the designs focus on the heritage of the company that the strong
and charismatic Rudolf Dassler founded 60 years ago.
Jochen Zeitz
CEO and Chairman PUMA AG
Jochen Zeitz was born on April 6, 1963 in Mannheim,
Germany. Rather than following in his family's footsteps and
becoming a medical doctor, Zeitz attended the European
Business School. In 1986, he graduated in International
Marketing and Finance, after having studied in Germany,
France, and the United States. He began his professional career with Colgate-
Palmolive in New York and Hamburg. In 1990, Zeitz joined PUMA and in 1993
was appointed Chairman and CEO of PUMA, becoming the youngest Chairman in
German history to head a public company at the age of 30.
Zeitz has spearheaded and held primary responsibility for the worldwide
restructuring of PUMA, which was in financial difficulties at the time. He reached
the first major milestone within his initial year as CEO, when PUMA delivered its
first profitable performance since 1986, posting consolidated sales of 210 million
Euros with an EBIT of 23 million Euros in 1994. The PUMA share price gained
around 4000 percent in 13 years, from 8.6 Euros in 1993 to an all time high of 350
Euros in April 2007. Zeitz managed to turn PUMA from a low price brand into a
premium Sportlifestyle company and one of the top three brands in the sporting
good industry by sticking to a long-term development plan that he introduced in
1993. Zeitz has been the longest serving CEO of a public DAX/MDAX company
in Germany.
Jochen Zeitz believes in success through passion and he is a great aficionado of the
African continent, its people and culture. He speaks six foreign languages,
including Swahili. Zeitz also believes that PUMA's position as the creative leader
in Sportlifestyle presents the opportunity – and the responsibility – to contribute to
a better world for the generations to come. In 2008, Zeitz introduced PUMAVision
– a concept to implement a corporate ethical framework defined by the 4Key
principles of being Fair, Honest, Positive and Creative as applied to all
professional behavior, business procedures and relationships throughout and
outside of PUMA. Through PUMAVision, new initiatives and concepts are
brought under way that drive PUMA to cleaner, greener, safer and more
sustainable systems and practices. In April 2010, Zeitz launched the next pivotal
phase of PUMA’s ambitious long-term sustainability program through which the
company aims at reducing carbon, energy, water and waste by 25% by 2015.
Jochen Zeitz extended his commitment to his personal life. In 2008, he founded the
non-profit “Zeitz Foundation of Intercultural Ecosphere Safety” to support creative
and innovative sustainable projects that balance conservation, community
development, culture, and commerce (the “4Cs”), promoting an inclusive, holistic
paradigm of conservation that enhances livelihoods and fosters intercultural
dialogue. Since October 2009, he has been Honorable Warden of the Kenya
Wildlife Service. Jochen Zeitz has been a member of the Board of Directors of
Harley Davidson since 2007 and has received numerous awards during his
professional career, including "2001 Entrepreneur of the Year", "Strategist of the
Year" for three years in a row by the Financial Times", "Trendsetter of the Year"
and "Best of European Business Award 2006". In 2004, the German Federal
President awarded him with the Federal Cross of Merit of the Republic of
Germany.
Specialization and core Product
TEAMSPORT
PUMA already started to gear up for the Football World Cup in South
Africa in 2010 – the first sport event of the magnitude of a Football
World Cup on African soil. In the world of football, PUMA is
synonymous with Africa. This is the result of over ten years of their
continued investment to further boost the image of the African game. To manifest their
commitment to Africa, they have even gone as far as alternating their PUMA Number One Logo
for the first time in the company’s history, replacing the iconic PUMA cat with the African
continent in advertising and in-store materials. The PUMA Africa logo will be exclusively used
during the World Cup for print ads, in store materials and some product styles.
The new logo was launched with the African Cup of Nations in January, which was their warm
up in the football year 2010. Ten PUMA teams out of a total of 16 participated in the tournament
in Angola. The players of Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Togo, Tunisia, Mozambique,
Algeria, Egypt, Ghana and Ivory Coast all sported the leaping cat on their jerseys. For the first
time, PUMA was the Official Fan Supplier of the tournament and operated shopping areas
outside the stadiums in Angola during the event. Egypt won the final of the African Cup of
Nations for the third successive time today and seventh overall, beating PUMA-sponsored team
Ghana 1-0. Seven national PUMA teams out of a total of 32 qualified for the football highlight of
the year, which will kick off on June 11th in Johannesburg. Current World Champion Italy,
Cameroon, Algeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Switzerland and Uruguay all passed the qualification
stage and will be wearing the new PUMA v1.10 playing kits.
PUMA has also partnered with artist Kehinde Wiley, the internationally acclaimed, half-Nigerian
American-born painter, in order to create a series of four original artworks featuring Africa’s
most prominent football players, Samuel Eto’o, John Mensah and Emmanuel Eboué. The four
commissioned portraits will be used to build a limited edition collection of apparel that will be
sold during the 2010 World Cup. Also taking PUMA forward to the World Cup was the launch
of the new PUMA speed boot: the v1.10. This product was supported by the first in a series of
LOVE = FOOTBALL creative executions.
This past year saw many large marketing initiatives in the Teamsport division. PUMA launched
a new boot to its King line: the PUMA King XL Italia. This boot was accompanied by a limited
edition kit, ball, and gloves. The PUMA King XL Italia Collection coincided with the 80th
anniversary of Vittorio Pozzo’s appointment as Italy’s first full-time national coach – the only
coach to have won two World Cup™ titles and the creator of the tactical il Metodo formation.
At the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup™ in South Africa, Gli Azzurri wore this collection. In
2009, PUMA became an official partner of the United States’ Women’s Professional Soccer
League. As an official partner of WPS, PUMA is the supplier of the league uniforms, training
gear, on-field gear and equipment, including the official WPS Match Ball and fanwear such as
tees, replica jerseys and accessories. The league’s inaugural season was supported by PUMA’s
‘Recognize Awesome’ campaign, featured in print, television, and web media. Also new to
Teamsport marketing was the India Premier League (IPL) and the Irish Rugby Football Union
(IRFU) League, both highlighted by extensive campaigns throughout their respective countries.
. RUNNING
In 2009, PUMA wrote again sport history – as the sponsor of the Jamaican
Track & Field Team at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin. Three-
time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt broke the 100m world record with an
amazing time of 9.58 seconds, when he blew away his own world record of
9.69 seconds set in last year’s Olympic Games in Beijing. The PUMA athlete
manifested his reputation of a sprint superstar when he smashed his 200
meter world record of last year to become the World Champion in 19.19
seconds. With the Jamaican team coming in first in the 4x100 relay in 42.06 seconds, Bolt finished an
amazing race week by adding another gold medal and World Championship title to his track record. The
Theseus Pro sprint spike, dubbed the PUMA YAAM, propelled Bolt to victory. The shoe was developed
by a team of PUMA designers and technicians who studied and measured his stride and foot form. With
this information and ongoing track-testing, they created a custom-made sprint spike that best suited
Usain’s unique body kinetics. Marketing support for Usain Bolt, Jamaica, and the PUMA Running
category spanned the globe. For the World Championships, PUMA launched its ‘Who Faster?’ campaign:
an in-store, online, guerilla marketing blitz which featured Bolt and Jamaican patois phrases relating to
the concepts of ‘fast’ and ‘fun.’ WhoFaster.com was created, with pages that taught viewers to dance,
run, and speak Jamaican. One notable tactic included the debut of ‘Bolt Arms,’ yellow foam arms posed
in Bolt’s infamous crossbow pose, which can be worn across one’s back. Bolt himself wore Bolt Arms to
the World Championships press conference, kicking off a worldwide craze and much press attention.
PUMA Running also sponsored smaller running events around the world. The PUMA Speed Trap was set
up at various locations from Boston to Berlin, inviting people to test their speed against Bolt’s near
impossible 27 miles per hour.
THE PUMA ATHLETES
1930s: Jesse Owens (100 meters, 200 meters, long jump, 4X100
meter relay)
1950s: Herbert Burdenski (football), Josef Barthel (1500
meters), Horst Eckel (football), Werner Liebrich (football),
Heinz Fütterer (100 meters)
1960s: Armin Hary (100 meters), Pelé (football), Gaston Roelants (300 meter steeplechase),
Mary Rand (long jump), Abebe Bikila (marathon), Eusébio de Silva Ferreira (football), Tommie
Smith (200 meters), Lee Evans ((400 meters/ 4x400 meter relay), Willie Davenport (110 meter
hurdles), Bob Seagren (pole vault), Jim Hines (100 meters), Joe Namath (American Football)
1970s: Mary Peters (pentathlon), John Akii-Bua (400 meter hurdles), Randy Williams (long
jump), Klaus Wolfermann (javelin), Dwight Stones (high jump), Johan Cruijff (football),
Guillermo Vilas (Tennis), Allan Simonsen (football), Mario Kempes (football), Renaldo
Nehemiah (110 meter hurdles)
1980s: Marcus Allen (American Football), Bruno Conti (football), Diego Maradonna (football),
Sydnee Maree (1500 meters), Evelyn Ashford (100 meter/ 4x100 meter relay), Martina
Navratilova (Tennis), Boris Becker (Tennis)
1990s: Lothar Matthäus (football), Heike Drechsler (long jump),
Merlene Ottey (100 meters, 200 meters), Linford Christie (100
meters), Colin Jackson (110 meter hurdles), Dieter Baumann
(1500 meters), Velez Sarsfield (football), Jonathan Edwards
(triple jump), Serena Williams (Tennis), Vince Carter
(basketball), Oscar De La Hoya (boxing), Nicolas Anelka
(football), Jamie Baulch (400 meters), Wilson Kipketer (800
meters), Christopher Kosgei (3000 meters steeplechase),
Tsiamita Paraskevi (triple jump), Noah Ngeny (1000 meters).
2000: Konstantinos Kenteris (200 meters), El Hadji Diouf
(football), Travis Pastrana (motor cross), Robert Pires (football), Gianluigi Buffon (football),
Jung Hwan Ahn (football), Chema Martinez (10,000 meters), Michael Schumacher (Formula 1),
Mario Gomez (football), Marcell Jansen (football), Usain Bolt (100 meters, 4x100 meter relay,
200 meters), Sebastian Vettel (Formula 1), Samuel Eto’o (football), El Hadji Diouf (football),
Rickie Fowler (Golf), Emmanuel Eboué (football). .
MOTORSPORT
PUMA’s thriving Motorsport category celebrated its 10th Anniversary
last year. It has been a long but incredibly successful track - from the
humble beginnings back in 1999 to the pole position of PUMA
Motorsport today – one of the company’s most triumphant sport
performance categories. To celebrate the diamond anniversary,
PUMA launched the PUMA Motorsport 10th Anniversary collection of
apparel, footwear and accessories that blend on-track technical
performance with off-track fashion appeal.
PUMA has been designing and creating footwear and apparel for the top Formula One racing drivers and
most impressive MotoGP riders since the end of the last century. It all began when PUMA signed its first
Formula One endorsement agreement with the Williams Team. Over the years, PUMA partnered with
other key drivers and teams including Scuderia Ferrari, Red Bull
Racing, BMW Sauber F1, Scuderia Toro Rosso, Benetton, Arrows,
Prost, BAR-Honda, Renault F1, Sauber Petronas, Jordan Ford, Minardi
F1, Panasonic Toyota and Jaguar Racing among others.
In 2009 PUMA enjoyed another memorable season when five out of
the ten teams competing in the Formula One 2009 Championships
were endorsed by PUMA – Scuderia Ferrari, BMW Sauber F1, ING
Renault F1, Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso. Red Bull Racing had its most successful season to
date in Formula One, winning six races, securing 5 pole positions and finishing runner up in both the
Constructors and the Drivers championship. Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen won the Belgian GP and the team
finished the season in 4th position. Ducati claimed four MotoGP race victories in 2009 and secured a
second place in the Constructors Championship and 4th in the Driver standing.
Through relentless innovation and creativity, PUMA constantly improves the technological needs of the
teams and drivers. These pure performance products have also transitioned into cult favourites in the
lifestyle and fashion arenas. Last year, Puma introduced the Speedcat 2.9 which continues PUMA’s great
tradition of Motorsport inspired Lifestyle footwear. Directly inspired by the original Speed Cat, but
taking a flashier approach to the iconic motorsport shoe, PUMA revamped the hero kicking it up a notch
with miles of style.
GOLF
PUMA’s Golf category displayed an ongoing buzz, momentum and
growth over the last year while the golf industry itself declined. Their
marketing campaign “Look better. Feel better. Play better.”
combined with innovative product introductions in apparel and
footwear further boosted PUMA’s mark in a sport that had long been
perceived as too traditional for cutting-edge fashion.
They introduced the innovative InvisiBonding technology in their Golf apparel line which eliminates
traditional stitching by using a bonding process on the seams. In footwear we expanded their range of
products that feature the Smart Quill Technology ensuring a lighter and more comfortable feel as well as
a better traction. These state-of-the-art performance products in the typical PUMA break-through and
unconventional design propelled their PUMA athletes to memorable performances on the course. Geoff
Ogilvy, ranked as high as No. 4 in the world in 2009, was a fixture on the top of the PGA Tour and
European PGA Tour all season and claimed victories at the Mercedes Championship and the Accenture
World Match Play Championship.
PUMA Golf continued to support its own new breed of player – one who demands the highest
performance and comfort, but who also wants to make a more daring statement than your average,
pleated, wrinkle-free khakis will allow. Such players included young and vibrant Anna Nordqvist, who
won the first major tournament in PUMA’s Golf history on the women’s side with capturing the title at
the McDonald’s LPGA Championship. And finally, PUMA signed former No. 1 amateur in the world Rickie
Fowler to a long-term contract to wear PUMA head to toe, paving the way for more exciting PUMA Golf
moments to come.
To reinforce their global category positioning, PUMA partnered with the European Tour’s season ending
Race to Dubai tournament. For the events, PUMA introduced the Swing Crown GTX R2D and the C-
Hopper R2D, two limited edition PUMA Golf shoes featuring the graphics of iconic buildings in cities of
each country participating in the Race to Dubai Tournament – collectively known as The Race to Dubai
skyline.
Puma & COBRA GOLF
Cobra Golf is one of the world’s most renowned golf club
manufacturers. Tom Crow established the company in 1973 in
southern California. The club designer and former Australian amateur
golf champion soon developed golf’s first utility wood – coining it
"Baffler" –- which set the innovation benchmark for future Cobra
product development. What made Baffler so effective, particularly
from deep rough, fluffy lies and hard pan, was its patented sole-plate
design.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Cobra was the first U.S. equipment
manufacturer in several categories. For instance, it was the first to
offer stock graphite-shafted woods and irons. The company also
introduced the autoclave system, which significantly strengthened
graphite shafts via a proprietary compression-curing process. An
Australian and former No.1 golfer in the world during the 80s and
90s, purchased an equity share of the company in 1991 and helped Crow design Cobra's first line of
forged irons. The next year, Cobra introduced the first full set of oversized irons, which quickly became
an entirely new club category in the golf market. Cobra also solidified its presence in the seniors and
women’s club categories during this time.
The company was thriving and in 1996, American Brands, Inc. – parent of golf conglomerate Acushnet
Company – purchased Cobra and then grouped the brand with its other golf entities Titleist, FootJoy and
Pinnacle. That infusion helped Cobra continue as a powerful force in the golf industry. Keeping its
mission of offering golfers a competitive performance advantage and functionality through innovative
design, Cobra has seen great success with many products ever since, including several iterations of
Baffler. The company also developed several key innovations – such as 9 Point Face Technology,
Adjustable Flight Technology, Multi-Material Technology and Baffler Rail Technology -- that can be
found in products throughout Cobra’s product line.
Over the years, the company has had a noticeable Tour presence, being officially represented and
endorsed in the 1990s by many professional golf stars. Cobra clubs were also played by several top PGA
Tour money winners who were not compensated to play the equipment but realized they needed it to
win. More recently, stars such as Ian Poulter, Camilo Villegas and J.B. Holmes have all captured PGA Tour
victories while endorsing the company and its products.
In 2010, PUMA AG purchased Cobra, and created a new company, COBRA-PUMA GOLF. The merger
leveraged PUMA Golf's footwear, apparel and accessories designs with Cobra Golf’s high performance
golf clubs. Being a leading golf equipment manufacturer, Cobra is fully committed to providing superior-
quality, high performance products for avid golfers of all abilities. OBRA-PUMA GOLF is a corporate
division of PUMA North America.
LIFESTYLE
PUMA’s Lifestyle category also warmed up in 2009 to be fully ready for the
upcoming Football World Cup 2010 in South Africa. The unique mix of
Lifestyle and Football leading up to this major sport event on African soil was
brought to life through PUMA’s collaboration with the New York-based artist
Kehinde Wiley. As one of the world’s most sought-after artists, Wiley’s work
stands apart – depicting contemporary African American men in poses taken from the annals of art
history, while incorporating a distinctive use of elaborate, graphic and colourful wallpaper-like
backgrounds. A vibrant new line is inspired by his work and features West African textile prints. The
lifestyle collection - that will launch in 2010 - comprises footwear, apparel and accessories and feature
Wiley’s bold, colourful patterns.
PUMA also paid tribute to its heritage in 2009, launching the PUMA Archive website and providing a
place for consumers to find their latest creation and educate themselves on PUMA’s history and the
iconic ambassadors that helped them gain the notoriety they enjoy today. Styles like the PUMA Clyde,
Suede, First Round, Roma and Easy Rider generated enormous coverage in both print and online,
reconnecting these classic heritage styles with the audience that loves them. PUMA also celebrated a
Decade of Sport Fashion during the London Fashion Week in September. “Out of sports, out of fashion”
was the concept behind their successful collaboration with Japanese fashion designer Yasuhiro Mihara.
In Spring/Summer 2010 PUMA by Mihara celebrates its 10th Anniversary making it the longest standing
sport-fashion collaboration to date. Throughout these 10 years, PUMA by Mihara has been a constant
favourite for both sneaker freaks and fashionistas all over the world, exciting consumers each season
with new and unexpected interpretations of the concept of sport-fashion.
In its Sports Fashion Category PUMA furthermore introduced the Urban Mobility Collection with creative
direction by Hussein Chalayan. The collection explores the notion of ‚Mobile Life‘ in modern cities,
bridging fashion and performance by designing products that offer true solutions to stylish travel
through the urban environment, launched for Spring Summer 2010 .
PUMA AND FOOTBALL
In 1948 – shortly after PUMA was set up – the company’s founder
Rudolf Dassler begins to develop a revolutionary design of a football
boot that would ensure the best performance in any weather and on
any pitch. The key development sees him fundamentally change the
boot's design, replacing traditionally nailed in studs with ones that
could be screwed on and off. The result of the development is the PUMA “ATOM”, the world's first
screw-in boot which Dassler launches in 1948-49. In West Germany’s first post-war match on November
22, 1950, Herbert Burdenski scores the winning goal against Switzerland wearing the ATOM boot. During
two-years of development Dassler works with football experts including former player and future world
cup winning manager Sepp Herberger to improve the screw-in stud technology. In 1951, he begins
testing the revolutionary innovation on top players from all over Germany. One year later, PUMA begins
mass producing the new screw-in stud boot, the “SUPER ATOM”. The boots are delivered to a host of
top players and leading sports shops at the start of the 1952-53 German football season. Seven players
from the premier league team FC Kaiserslautern wear the PUMA screw-in stud football boot. The team
subsequently wins the league and is crowned champions on June 21, 1953. Among this team’s key
players are Horst Eckel and Werner Liebrich, whose performances earn them call ups to the German
national team. PUMA mentions in its advertising campaign the use of
the “SUPER ATOM” by Germany’s national team elite.
The following season, PUMA launches an enhanced version of the
boot. The new model bears the name “BRASIL” and also features the now proven screw-in stud. The cut
of the boot is changed to reduce the weight. Eight Hannover 96 players wear the new Brazil boot. The
side go on to clinch the German championship title after victory in the final game of the premier league
season on May 23, 1954. After the final, PUMA launches a new advertising campaign that hails the
success of the newly developed “BRASIL” using photos from the final showing Hannover players wearing
the PUMA screw-in boots.
PUMA was therefore the first company to launch mass-produced screw-in stud boots, two years prior to
Germany's famous 1954 World Cup win in Bern despite claims from the German national team supplier
that it had invented the screw-in football boot itself for the 1954 World Cup. It was not long before a
new product innovation was launched. In 1958 the “WELTMEISTER” [WORLD CHAMPION] model was
introduced with the newly developed nylon screw-in stud sole. Puma also used its unmistakable
trademark curved stripes for the first time. The “WELTMEISTER” makes its debut in the 1958 world cup
final between 17 year old Pele's Brazil and host nation Sweden. The boot is worn by players on both
teams and is the only Germanmade football boot in the final.
The WELTMEISTER line is again enhanced to become the “PUMA KING” in 1968, which marks the
beginning of a 40-year success story. In 1960, PUMA notches another technological milestone in its
football boot development with a new process called “vulcanization”, whereby the sole and the shaft of
the boot are bonded together during production. The next key development follows ahead of the World
Cup in Spain in 1982. The new model “TORERO” is equipped with a highly flexible DUOFLEX sole with
two joint zones. In 1986, the “MEXICO FINALE” is launched as the first football boot with a removable
locking system for the studs built into the sole.
In 1997, PUMA introduces the “CELLERATOR”, the world’s first
cushioned football boot. Its enhanced successor is the PUMA football
boot called “SHUDOH”. Just in time for the 2002 World Cup in
Japan/Korea, the new model carries the Japanese name “SHUDOH”,
which translates as Master of Football. Top international players such
as Cameroon player Samuel Eto’o wear the “SHUDOH” during the
2002 World Cup. The next product innovation from PUMA arrives in
time for the 2006 World Cup: The “SPEED BOOT V1.06” is the world’s lightest football boot, weighing
barely 200g. Its technology gets players to the ball faster and gives players time leads of fractions of a
second. The extremely thin synthetic ConTec material, its especially developed studs as well as the
asymmetrical locking system ensure high speed, stability and the support properties of a leather boot –
thereby guaranteeing optimal ball control. The new stud configuration as well as an innovative stud
design improves the pressure distribution and the boot’s grip. For the 2008 European Championship,
PUMA introduces the successor model “v1.08” with a new upper boot material.
The extra thin, lightweight ConTec textile material is provided with a second micro-fleece layer. This
makes the lightweight boot more resistant and provides a feel for the ball, grip and high performance.
Since its founding, PUMA has always followed its own path in the world of football. Numerous stories
from fashion innovation and an individual approach to sports are associated with the company’s
evolution and development.
One legendary story worth mentioning has to do with the 1974 World
Cup in Germany. The Dutch national team played wearing its orange
football shirt with the three-stripe trademark of another sports
equipment maker on the sleeves. However, Johan Cruyff, the team’s
captain and star player, had an exclusive agreement with PUMA and
felt closely tied to the company and brand. Cruyff refused to play in that shirt and had a special Dutch
shirt produced. This version bore only two stripes. Cruyff’s team members, the Kerkhof twins, also had
an agreement with PUMA, and took Cruyff’s lead. That’s how the “Shirt with two stripes” also came to
be worn in the following 1978 World Cup. PUMA also shows its innovative power in organizing sporting
events. In 1994, PUMA organizes a new football championship called the “PUMA Street Football Cup”.
The playing field measures only 14 m x 20 m. Each team is made up of three players, a goalie and a
substitute. This new kind of event concept becomes an international success. Just two years later, 28
national teams participate in the second “PUMA Street Football Cup” championship held in London.
One highlight that underscores PUMA’s innovation and individuality occurs during the 2002 World Cup
in Japan/South Korea. The “indomitable lions” from the Cameroon national team play in the opening
game against the Congo wearing an up-to-date, unique “sleeveless football shirt” produced by PUMA,
which attracts a great deal of attention worldwide. However, the shirt does not meet FIFA conventions:
“No sleeves, no shirt. No shirt, no game”, is FIFA’s ruling. In the subsequent games, the Cameroon team
wear sleeve inserts, yet among football fans and fashion fans, the “Cameroon Sleeveless Shirt” sells like
hot cakes. With the development of a one-piece football shirt, PUMA ultimately revolutionizes football
fashion. In its first group game in the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations, the Cameroon national team appears
in the new PUMA one-piece shirt. It has a body-fitting form and feels like a second skin, making it
difficult for the team's opponents to illegally grab onto and hold the shirt during play. The international
football association FIFA wants to ban the use of the one-piece shirt during the course of the
tournament. It penalizes Cameroon with a deduction of six points in the World Cup qualifying rounds
and imposes a fine. With the payment of the fine and a campaign keenly watched around the world,
PUMA continues to sponsor Cameroon and shows FIFA its claws. PUMA takes FIFA to court to fight the
ban. The legal dispute with FIFA ends in an out-of-court settlement. The parties agree on a joint
donation for a football development aid project in Cameroon.
This and many other examples from sports history show that PUMA has remained true to the course it
set for itself in the world of football and that it is responsible for combining influences from sport,
lifestyle and fashion with values such as individuality and uniqueness.
60 years of PUMA – 60 years of international football sponsorship
Since its founding, PUMA has been active as an international football
sponsor and equipment supplier to players and teams. As early as
1950, players from the German national team wear PUMA boots in
their first football game after the Second World War. For the 1958
World Cup held in Sweden, players from the Brazilian and Swedish
teams play wearing football boots from PUMA. In the following World Cup in Chile in 1962, the Brazilian
superstar Pelé wears PUMA football boots and leads the team to become the World Cup champions and
the “Player of the Tournament”. Four years later, the Portuguese player Eusébio is a top goal scorer and
is also named “Player of the Tournament”. He is the first to wear the predecessor of today’s legendary
“PUMA KING”, which is later worn by international football stars like Diego Maradona during
subsequent World Cup tournaments (see attached press release). Top international football players
include French national player Robert Pires, who, in 2002, after one season with Arsenal, is named
“Footballer of the Year” in England. In the same year, Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon signs an
equipment agreement with PUMA. During the 2002 World Cup in Japan/Korea, PUMA player El Hadji
Diouf is selected by FIFA to the “All Star Team” team of the World Cup. The Korean player Ahn Jung-
hwan knocks Italy out of the competition with a “Golden Goal”, thus securing the host country a spot in
the semi-finals.
For the 2006 World Cup, PUMA renews its partnership with football legend
Pelé, who was sponsored by PUMA during his active years as a player and
now advertises for PUMA as its World Cup ambassador. “Over many years, I
have developed a close relationship with the PUMA brand”, Pelé said at the
time. “Now I am happy to collaborate on various projects in the run-up to the World Cup, together with
PUMA”. About PUMA’s qualities as an equipment supplier, Pelé said: “PUMA and football, it’s like a big
family. Everyone knows that PUMA and football are related to one another”. In addition to numerous
individual players, PUMA has been successfully equipping and sponsoring teams for many years. Its first
partner in 1950 is the team Spielvereinigung Fürth (current name: Spielvereinigung Greuther Fürth),
which becomes the German football champion three times in the years 1914, 1926 and 1929. In 1988
and 1993, the PUMA team SV Werder Bremen wins the German Championship and in 1994 the German
Football Federation Cup.
During the same year, the Argentine team and PUMA partner Velez Sarsfield wins the World Club
Championship in Tokyo with a 2-0 victory over A.C. Milan. Its winning streak is still going strong even
one year later. Real Saragossa wins the UEFA Cup Winner’s Cup wearing the PUMA shirt. In 1995, the
PUMA team Atlético Madrid comes first in the Spanish premier league and wins the Spanish League Cup.
The Italian team S. S. Lazio Rom also scores a major victory in 1999 when it wins the UEFA Cup Winner’s
Cup and then, in the following year, winning the league in Italy, the League Cup and the Italy’s Super
Cup. PUMA has sponsored the Italian national team since 2002. In 2004, it introduces an innovative
team shirt in collaboration with the designer and creative director of the ITALIA Collection, Neil Barrett.
The 2006 World Cup held in Germany is a high point of the decade-long string of successes for PUMA. As
a leading sponsor and equipment supplier, PUMA supplies 12 of the 32 participating teams: Italy, the
Czech Republic, Poland, Switzerland, Paraguay, Saudi Arabia, Iran as well as the five African teams,
Tunisia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Angola and Togo. PUMA thus achieves a brand presence in 56 percent of all
games during the World Cup and is the most heavily represented brand compared to the competition.
Moreover, for the first time in the company's history, a team sponsored by PUMA wins the World Cup
Championship. Italy’s Squadra Azzurra beats France 5-3 in a penalty shoot-out on July 9, 2006 in the
World Cup final held in Berlin, becoming the World champions for the fourth time. In 2007, the PUMA
team VfB Stuttgart wins the German Championship.
In its anniversary year of 2008, PUMA once again shows its strong
position as a football equipment provider by having five teams
represent it in the 2008 European Football Championship
tournament. In addition to World Cup champions Italy, Poland, the
Czech Republic as well as host countries Switzerland and Austria
appear wearing the company’s trademark cat on their shirts. For
many years, PUMA has also been a leading sports equipment supplier
and sponsor for African football and has shown that its commitment to the African Continent is just as
ambitious as the passion of Africans for football itself. In 1997, PUMA signs an equipment supply
agreement with the Cameroon football association FECAFOOT and becomes the equipment supplier and
sponsor for its national team. The Cameroon team wins the 2000 African Cup of Nations during a
penalty shoot-out against Lagos. Six months later, the team wins the country’s first-ever gold medal at
the Olympic Summer Games in Sydney, Australia. PUMA supports the success of the Cameroon team
with an advertising campaign for the 2002 World Cup, which focuses on the national team. During the
same year, the team of “indomitable lions” once again wins the Africa Cup of Nations. The equipment
supply agreement with PUMA is extended in 2006. For the 2006 World Cup, PUMA begins a cooperation
with the campaign UNITED FOR AFRICA. The goal of the cooperation is to use original advertising spots
to draw attention to UNITED FOR AFRICA and to generate donations for 30 active aid organizations in
Africa. PUMA creates a charity collection exclusively for this partnership. From the sales price of each
collection item, PUMA donates an amount, transparently listed for the customer to see, to UNITED FOR
AFRICA. The highlight of the cooperation is the UNITED FOR AFRICA streetcar, a concept developed by
both partners. Equipped with special informational and interaction options, the streetcar drives through
Berlin advertising for the campaign. Both in the streetcars as well as in the Berlin Café Moscow, PUMA’s
football headquarters for the World Cup, there are numerous events held with prominent artists and
athletes.
In 2007, PUMA once again expands its portfolio as an equipment supplier and sponsor of African teams.
It becomes partners with the Moroccan and Namibian national football associations. Furthermore,
PUMA supports the global Peace One Day campaign with a new and exclusive football collection. The
joint, long-term goal is to establish a day of cease-fire and freedom from violence worldwide. The UN
General Assembly chooses September 21 as this International Day of Peace. The launch of the Peace
One Day Collection is held in January 2008 during the Africa Cup of Nations football tournament.
2010: PUMA will turn the Football Word Cup in South Africa into a home match
The year 2010 will be marked by the Football World Cup in
Africa, PUMA’s home-away-from home. PUMA has a
successful start into the World Cup year when Egypt’s national
team beats Ghana in an all-PUMA final at the Africa Cup in
Angola, claiming the title for the third successive time and for
the seventh time overall. PUMA wins the tournament for the
sixth time in a row. The Sportlifestyle company is also the
Official Fan Supplier of the tournament for the first time and
gains outstanding brand visibility as the sponsor of 10 out of 16 teams.
PUMA has enjoyed more than a decade of close partnerships and collaborations with African
football federations and sponsors 13 African teams, including the FIFA World Cup 2010
qualified teams of Ghana, Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Algeria. Current World Champion Italy,
as well as Uruguay and Switzerland, will also sport the leaping cat logo on South African
pitches.
PUMA AND AFRICA
Celebrating over a Decade of Commitment to the Continent
1997
• PUMA signs Cameroon.
1999
• PUMA signs Egypt
• PUMA signs Cameroon player, Samuel Eto'o
2000
• Cameroon wins the African Cup of Nations.
• Samuel Eto'o is voted the Confederation of African
Football's 'Young African Player of the Year'
• Cameroon wins Gold in the Olympic Games
2002
• PUMA signs Tunisia
• Cameroon wins the African Cup of Nations in sleeveless shirts. The kits are subsequently
banned by FIFA prompting PUMA to add black sleeves to their jerseys
2004
• PUMA signs Mozambique
• The Cameroon one-piece UniQT is introduced at the African Cup of Nations. Due to the
UniQT kit, a 6 point deduction from Cameroon's 2006 World Cup Qualification is
repealed by FIFA
• PUMA team Tunisia wins the Africa Cup of Nations, ahead of fellow participating
PUMA teams Cameroon and Egypt
• Samuel Eto'o is voted the Confederation of African Football's 'African Player of the Year'
2005
• PUMA signs Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Togo
• PUMA enters into partnership with United for Africa, a campaign of over 30 aid
organizations aiming to improve living conditions in Africa
• Samuel Eto'o is voted the Confederation of African Football's 'African Player of the Year'
2006
• PUMA signs Angola and Ghana
• PUMA team Egypt wins African Cup of Nations. Other
PUMA teams participating: Angola, Cameroon, Ghana,
Ivory Coast, Senegal, Togo and Tunisia
• PUMA signs Ivory Coast player Emmanuel Eboué
• PUMA launches the v1.06 concept with an African
inspired global marketing campaign.
• All African participants at the World Cup, Angola,
Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo and Tunisia, are sponsored by
PUMA
2007
• PUMA signs Morocco and Namibia
• PUMA begins a long-term partnership with Peace One Day, an organization that declares
• September 21st an annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence
2008
• PUMA is the leading supplier of the 2008 African Cup of Nations, outfitting nine of the
sixteen teams
• Egypt wins the African Cup of Nations
• PUMA and the Ghana Football Association (GFA) announce a multi-year extension of
their successful partnership through the 2014 FIFA World Cup
• puma.peace and the global organization Peace One Day celebrate the “International Day
of Peace” on September 21st
• puma.peace and One Day One Goal facilitate over 400 peace games played in Africa and
across the globe
• PUMA produces 150,000 pieces using African cotton to support local farmers
• PUMA introduces Fair Trade certified footballs to endorse a campaign focusing on the
prevention of juvenile delinquency in South Africa
• The launch of PUMA. Creative Mobility Award program sends over 220 artists and art
professionals to important African cultural events
2009
• puma.creative launches a social network for African
artists, Creative African Network. To
learn more visit www.creativeafricanetwork.com
• PUMA CEO Jochen Zeitz announces the Zeitz
Foundation – an intercultural ecosphere safety
foundation with representation in Germany, the United
States, the UK and Kenya
• PUMA and Peace One Day host “One Day One Goal”
football matches in all 192 UN member states, including 52 countries in Africa
• PUMA partners with Africa Express and awards 125 African musicians with Mobility
Grants to participate in the concert in Paris, France
• PUMA produces 1 million pieces using African cotton, supporting local farmers
• PUMA launches the v1.10 product line inspired by African football. It is supported by the
Love = Football campaign set in Africa and features African football stars such as
Samuel Eto'o, Emmanuel Eboué, John Mensah and Chinedou Obasi
2010
• PUMA and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announce a strategic
partnership to support the International Year of Biodiversity biodiversity. To support this
global cause, PUMA unveils the revolutionary new Africa Unity Kit, the world’s first
‘continental football kit’ designed to be worn by all African football national teams that
PUMA sponsors
• PUMA team Egypt wins the Orange Africa Cup of Nations for the third successive time
and the seventh time overall. This is the sixth consecutive time that a PUMA team has
won the tournament. Ten of the 16 teams are being sponsored by PUMA.
Innovative marketing
Outstanding performances of PUMA athletes and teams have strongly influenced international
sports through innovative PUMA products and creative marketing initiatives for more than 60
years. Milestones in PUMA’s sports history were the development of the first football boot with
screwin studs in 1952 by the company’s founder Rudolf Dassler, the legendary “two-stripe”
jersey of Johan Cruyff at the world championship in 1974, the PUMA contact lenses of Linford
Christie in 1996, the skin-tight Catsuit tennis dress of Serena Williams at the US Open 2002, the
revolutionary one-piece Cameroon football shirt in 2004, the Italian national team winning the
Football World Cup in 2006, Ferrari with its seven-times world champion, most successful
Formula 1 pilot and PUMA partner Michael Schumacher, who dominated the sports for years,
the world records of sprint hero Usain Bolt as well as the Volvo Ocean Race, “the Everest of
Sailing” that PUMA’s eye-catching sailing yacht il mostro finished in second place in
2009.Through creativity and innovative products PUMA has always set standards in sports and
style. Partnerships with federations such as Jamaica, Italy and in Africa provided the brand with
the opportunity to lead the way in creative and innovative global sports marketing. PUMA was
not only able to strengthen its positioning as a sportlifestyle brand, but created a whole new
market by establishing the segment sportlifestyle.
Football As early as in 1952, PUMA set the first milestone on
the pitch by developing the “Super Atom”, the first mass-
produced football boot with screw-in studs. Eight players of
German premier league club Hannover 96 sported the new mass-
produced boots during the final of the German Premier League
Championship in May 1954 and heralded a new era of football
boot development - well before Germany’s famous World Cup
win in Bern in July that year. A story to remember is the
legendary “Two-Stripe Jersey” that the captain of the Dutch national team Johan Cruyff created
at the World Cup 1974. The Dutch player refused to play in a
threestripe shirt because he felt closely connected to his sponsor
PUMA. He created a unique Dutch two-stripe jersey which
debuted in the final of the World Cup in Munich.
When Jochen Zeitz took the helm in 1993, he launched a new
brand strategy which turned PUMA into the most desirable
sportlifestyle brand through successfully fusing influences from
sports, lifestyle and fashion. The epitome of the new
sportlifestyle segment was PUMA’s cooperation with designer
Jil Sander in 1998 when PUMA combined - as the first sports
brand ever - sports and style. The newly introduced trend found
its way onto the international catwalks and especially onto the
football pitches where PUMA set new standards for sports
fashion and established the sportlifestyle segment.
Legendary examples of PUMA’s sports fashion were the coloured football boots at the World
Cup in France in 1998 and the sleeveless jerseys, sported by the Cameroon national team at the
African Cup of Nations and the World Cup in 2002. The football fashion was further
revolutionized, when the Cameroon team played in one-piece jerseys for the first time ever at the
African Cup of Nations in 2004. The one-piece kits caused a worldwide media stir and the
international football federation FIFA sued PUMA, trying to ban the sensational jerseys.
PUMA’s successful fusion of sports and style within the realm of football was crowned when the
Italian national team won the World Cup in 2006: The “Squadra Azzurra” represents the perfect
combination of athletic world class and fashionable flair, further extending PUMA’s position as
one of the three leading football brands.
As the partner of 13 African football federations, PUMA has not
only been the leading sponsor in Africa for many years, but has
also used the continent to launch its most innovative products.
The joy of the game, aesthetics, passion and culture are African
values that PUMA also stands for. The World Cup offers a
unique platform for PUMA to demonstrate its long-term
commitment to African football and the continent. While Africa
has been carrying the stigma of conflicts and poverty in the
global press, PUMA has always emphasized the positives of the
prospects and uniqueness of the continent.
In January 2010, PUMA entered into a partnership with the
Environment Programme of the United Nations (UNEP) to
protect biodiversity. The joint ‘Play for Life’ campaign was
launched to support projects in Africa and elsewhere. To fund
this initiative, PUMA launched the Africa Unity Kit, the world’s
first ‘continental football kit’ designed to be worn by the 13
African football national teams that PUMA sponsors.
Running
PUMA has always been successful in finding the right partners,
who perfectly reflect and convey the image of the brand around
the world. Sprint superstar Usain Bolt and the Jamaican track
and field team perfectly embody that sports, fun and style have
always been key elements in PUMA’s brand strategy. At the
Olympic Games 2008 in Beijing, Usain Bolt set a 100m world
record of 9.69 seconds, smashing his own mark from May that
year and sprinted 200m in the world record time of 19.30
seconds, beating Michael Johnson’s 1996 record by two
hundredths of a second. He won his third gold medal as
Jamaica shattered the world record in the 4x100m relay
in 37.10 seconds.
In close collaboration with Usain Bolt, PUMA
developed the Theseus II, the ultimate running shoe.
Running both the 100m and 200m, the Jamaican sprinter
needed a versatile shoe that provided support for power,
as well as firmness to hold his foot in place around the
turn. PUMA produced a gold version of the shoe for
Beijing, which helped power him through the greatest
sprints of his life so far.
At the World Athletics Championships 2009 in Berlin, Usain Bolt wrote sports history again
when he smashed the 100m and 200m world records. The PUMA Yaam sprint spike that
propelled him to victory was developed by a team of PUMA designers and technicians who
studied and measured Bolt’s stride and foot form. The vibrant
orange sprint spike, designed to contrast the Olympic Stadium’s
signature blue track and Usain’s way of achieving outstanding
performances, mixing sport and style, caused a global stir.
Sailing
At sea, PUMA participated with an own boat in one of the
world’s toughest sailing races, the Volvo Ocean Race in 2008.
As the first multi-category company, PUMA entered into sailing
and combined high performance sports with cutting-edge
technology, styling and adventure. The 11-men strong crew – the PUMA Ocean Racing Team –
raced 10 legs and visited 10 countries in Africa, Asia, South and North America. During nine
months, they covered 37,000 nautical miles (68,524 km) before finishing the race in second
place in June 2009 in St. Petersburg.
Over 5 million people visited the Volvo Ocean Race stopover villages and witnessed PUMA’s il
mostro, PUMA City and PUMA’s innovative market initiatives. PUMA used the 11 port
destinations of the Race to activate complex onshore marketing strategies. Such activities set a
new marketing benchmark in the growing sport of sailing. At the same time, while the sport of
sailing is often perceived to be very exclusive, PUMA aimed to break down this misconception.
PUMA’s retail expertise manifested itself by providing a unique shopping experience in PUMA
City, a mobile architecture at the stop-over ports. Retail expectations were exceeded, after sales
in PUMA City on a single day in Boston topped daily sales in any PUMA store ever worldwide.
PUMA City is an innovative, mobile container building and has accompanied the sailing crew
during parts of the Race, being shipped to and assembled at the stop-over ports in Alicante and
Boston to host celebrations, press events, entertainment and in-port race viewing.
Motorsport
In Motorsports, PUMA underpinned its excellent competence to
combine top performance sports with lifestyle when it developed
highly functional Formula 1 collections as the first sports brand
ever. With the support of Ferrari and Michael Schumacher as
well as a strong portfolio of other racing teams, PUMA
successfully established Motorsports as a new segment within a
short time and became the leading Formula 1 sponsor. Formula
1 driver Sebastian Vettel caused a sensation in 2008 when the
21-year old won the race in Monza, wearing golden PUMA shoes, and became the youngest
Formula 1 champion in history.
Tennis
On the international tennis courts, PUMA caused a stir in 2002, when
the company dressed the top player Serena Williams in a skin-tight
black “catsuit” at the US Open in New York and changed the fashion in
a sport that had seen players traditionally dress in white. In 1998,
PUMA took the then 16-year old American tennis player under contract
and went together with her all the way from rank 42 to number one in
the world tennis ranking list.
Background
Founded in Herzogenaurach, Germany in 1948, PUMA is one of the world’s largest providers of
Sportlifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories. The PUMA Group owns the brands PUMA, Cobra Golf
and Tretorn. The company distributes its products in more than 120 countries and employs more than
9,000 people worldwide. It is committed to working in ways that contribute to the world by supporting
Creativity, Sustainability and Peace, and by staying true to the principles of being Fair, Honest, Positive
and Creative in decisions made and actions taken.
Over the years, PUMA has stayed true to its four cornerstones: heritage, sport, technological innovation
and design. The brand is focusing on bringing distinctive designs and a global outlook to each product
range by blending influences of sport, lifestyle and fashion. This fusion is known as “Sportlifestyle”.
PUMA views sport as a philosophy on life – one that emphasizes fitness, wellness and simply living an
active life. Since Sport can be different things to different people, PUMA approaches it in a greater-
lifestyle context, while not compromising performance. This is exactly what the brand means when it
speaks of “Sportlifestyle”.
In 1993, at the age of thirty, Jochen Zeitz was appointed chairman & CEO. Zeitz has Spearheaded and
held primary responsibility for the worldwide restructuring of PUMA, which was in financial difficulties
at the time. He reached the first major milestone within
his first year as CEO, when PUMA delivered its first profitable performance since 1986, posting
consolidated sales of 210 million Euros with an EBIT of 23 million Euros in 1994. In 2009, PUMA reached
net earnings of 128 million Euros and consolidated sales of 2.5 billion Euros. The share price rose from
8.6 Euros in 1993 to an all time high of 350 Euros in April 2007. Zeitz managed to turn PUMA from a low
price brand into a premium Sportlifestyle company and one of the top 3 brands in the sporting good
industry by sticking to a long-term development plan that he introduced in 1993. In 2007, French luxury
group PPR, one of the world’s top fashion and retail companies, acquired more than 60 percent of
PUMA. With the support of PPR, PUMA plans to strengthen its position as the leading company in the
Sportlifestyle market with a continued focus on long-term sustainable growth.
With the objective of being "The Most Desirable and Sustainable Sportlifestyle Company”, PUMA's
position as one of the few, true multi-category brands is to be strengthened and the opportunities
offered by the sport lifestyle market are to be systematically exploited in all categories and regions. As a
multi-category supplier, PUMA is active in categories and business fields/divisions that suit its unique
brand positioning, and in which permanent value increases can be achieved for the company. PUMA
Vision forms the guiding principle for PUMA and their global partnerships and commitments. It
combines the concepts and initiatives of PUMA with respect to „entrepreneurial sustainability” and
„social responsibility“. The four principles of PUMA Vision, fair, honest, positive and creative constitute
the compass of their company, employees, partners and target groups with respect to all their decisions.
PUMA Vision reflects their vision of a better world - a world that is more peaceful, safer, and more
creative than the world that we know today.
Brand positioning
Brand positioning refers to “target consumer’s” reason to buy your brand in preference to
others. It is ensures that all brand activity has a common aim; is guided, directed and delivered
by the brand’s benefits/reasons to buy; and it focusses at all points of contact with the consumer.
Brand positioning must make sure that:
• Is it unique/distinctive vs. competitors ?
• Is it significant and encouraging to the niche market ?
• Is it appropriate to all major geographic markets and businesses ?
• Is the proposition validated with unique, appropriate and original products ?
• Is it sustainable - can it be delivered constantly across all points of contact with the
consumer ?
• Is it helpful for organization to achieve its financial goals ?
• Is it able to support and boost up the organization ?
In order to create a distinctive place in the market, a niche market has to be carefully chosen and
a differential advantage must be created in their mind. Brand positioning is a medium through
which an organization can portray it’s customers what it wants to achieve for them and what it
wants to mean to them. Brand positioning forms customer’s views and opinions.
Brand Positioning can be defined as an activity of creating a brand offer in such a manner that it
occupies a distinctive place and value in the target customer’s mind. For instance-Kotak
Mahindra positions itself in the customer’s mind as one entity- “Kotak ”- which can provide
customized and one-stop solution for all their financial services needs. It has an unaided top of
mind recall. It intends to stay with the proposition of “Think Investments, Think Kotak”. The
positioning you choose for your brand will be influenced by the competitive stance you want to
adopt.
Brand Positioning involves identifying and determining points of similarity and difference to
ascertain the right brand identity and to create a proper brand image. Brand Positioning is the key
of marketing strategy. A strong brand positioning directs marketing strategy by explaining the
brand details, the uniqueness of brand and it’s similarity with the competitive brands, as well as
the reasons for buying and using that specific brand. Positioning is the base for developing and
increasing the required knowledge and perceptions of the customers. It is the single feature that
sets your service apart from your competitors. For instance- Kingfisher stands for youth and
excitement. It represents brand in full flight.
There are various positioning errors, such as-
1. Under positioning- This is a scenario in which the customer’s have a blurred and unclear
idea of the brand.
2. Over positioning- This is a scenario in which the customers have too limited a awareness
of the brand.
3. Confused positioning- This is a scenario in which the customers have a confused
opinion of the brand.
4. Double Positioning- This is a scenario in which customers do not accept the claims of a
brand.