Brand Communication Analysis

Trent Kahute
Communication Planning : ID520B : Fall 2006
Instructor: Peter Laundy
IIT Institute of Design
Contents

Brand
Brand origins.................................................................................. 3
Brand meaning as it has changed over the years............. 5
Current brand differentiation................................................... 7
Current brand portfolio.............................................................. 9

Brand identity
Brand names................................................................................... 12
Brand name visual treatment................................................... 12
Brand communications identity elements.......................... 15

Brand communications
Communication assets................................................................ 17
Key brand communication decisions.................................... 20
Detailed analysis of a communication.................................. 22

2
Brand Origins

A Family Business
The roots of the Puma brand stretch back to the mid 1920’s when
Adi and Rudolph Dassler spent years working together
building lightweight athletic shoes registered under their family
shoe enterprise Gebrüder Dassler, in Herzogenaurach Germany.
Beginning with the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam, Adi’s uniquely
designed shoes began to gain a worldwide reputation. Jesse
Owens was wearing a pair of Dassler’s track shoes when he won
gold for the USA at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

Feuding Brothers
After World War II, during which Rudi Dassler had spent time in a
POW camp, the Dassler brothers began a legendary feud, causing
Rudolph to leave the company and found a rival company across
town. Originally thinking of calling his brand RUDA, Rudi Dassler
named his company Puma Aktiengesellscaft Rudolf Sport (Puma)
while brother Adi incorporated as Adidas. This family rift would Adi Dassler Rudolf Dassler
Founder of ADIDAS Founder of PUMA
lead to cutthroat business feuds and sporting triumphs forging
two mighty sporting brands recognized all over the world.

By 1925 the Dasslers were making leather shoes with nailed studs and
track shoes with hand-forged spikes.

3
Brand Origins

The leaping puma also symbolizes combination of speed, power, The Puma logo is a symbol of the fierce rivalry between the
and elegance often exhibited by professional athletes. two brothers. No longer working with his partner and brother,
the brand would come to symbolize the solitary and secretive
nature of Rudolf’s new venture as it moved forward.

4
Brand meaning as it
has changed through
the years

Era 1 1948 - 1960 Era 2 1960- 1970

The best in football Going for the gold
Reason for being Outfitting the worlds best soccer players Equipping the worlds best athletes

Value Proposition Best in class performance Enhances your performance in style

Differentiation Innovative features (first removable stud) Celebrity athlete endorsements

Clandestine advertising

Persona Elite, exclusive, personal, masculine Exuberant, elitist, colorful, energetic

Associations German professional soccer team Charismatic champions (Pele & Joe Namath)
Gold medal athletes (Jim Hines)

Range of authority Soccer boots Soccer boots, track shoes, football shoes

Audience Professional soccer players, experts, trainers, coaches World class athletes

Relationship New player in the field Trusted partner

5
 Era 3 1970 - 1986 Era 4 1986 - 1997 Era 5 1997 - Present
Beyond the playing field Trying to keep pace Hip, cool, and leading the way
Targeting the sports lifestyle Business survival Mixing the influences of sports, lifestyle, and fashion

Play in style and comfort High performance with personalized fit Fits your active lifestyle

Comfort & style Innovative footwear systems Distinctive styles, branded experiences (concept stores &
Consistent brand message (closure & cushioning) events) Co-developed celebrity lines, co branding, part-
nerships with famous designers

Casual, laidback, cool, minimal, Hi tech, advanced, not relevant Elegant, colorful, fresh, spontaneous, individual, urban,
Classic, cheap, low quality, dated metropolitan, international, edgy

Soccer players at all levels Professional soccer, tennis, track athletes Multiple sports lifestyle segments
Champion athletes (Martina Navratilova) Diego Maradona, Boris Becker (yoga, tennis, golf, racing, music, soccer, baseball, running)
Discount bins CEO Jochen Zeitz implements 5 part strategy

Clothing, street footwear Running shoes, kids shoes, apparel, Performance / Casual footwear, apparel, gear, accessories
Cross trainers, gear

People who play sports Young athletes, soccer athletes, track Anyone who leads an active lifestyle
People around sports athletes, (businessmen, active travelers, or marathon runners)

Familiar friend A old friend you lost touch with Hip friend who shows you a good time

6
Current Brand Differentiation

PUMA
In recent years, the Puma brand has become synonymous with fashion, style, and
sport. Through fresh design, co-branding and partnerships with celebrities and
famous designers, Puma has elevated their brand image so that it now competes
with fashion brands as well as their traditional rivals in the sporting footwear
industry. The Puma brand communication strategy is flexible across multiple
categories, yet communicates innovation for an “active lifestyle”. Puma
communicates with each category in a unique manner, but the tone is
unmistakingly tied back to the overall brand through the overarching brand Reason for Being Mixing the influences of sports, lifestyle, and fashion
personality and identity. To extend their brand Puma has created concept retail
stores that enable people to experience the brand in engaging and compelling
ways. Puma also engages customers through their Mongolian barbeque concept
that enables customers to design and build their own footwear from scratch. Value Proposition Fits your active lifestyle
Further differentiating the brand from traditional rivals, Puma frequently hosts
promotional events that are based around “active lifestyle” themes based on dining, Reasons to - Distinctive trend setting styles
entertainment, fashion, and music.
Believe - Branded retail experiences (concept stores)
- Co-developed celebrity lines (Turlington / Nuala)
ADIDAS
Adidas’s mission is to improve every athlete’s performance through innovation. - Co branding partnerships (Ferrari,
The overall Adidas brand communicates the company’s goal of fusing sport - Partnerships with famous designers (Starck, Wanders)
performance and style competing very closely with Nike’s value proposition. To - Mass customization (mongolian bbq)
compete with the value propositions of their traditional competitors, Adidas has - Promotional events (beats & treats)
focused their brand communications in three different areas: “sport performance”,
“sport heritage” and “sport style”. Brand communications are tailored to the specific
market segments within each unit. Leveraging its cutting edge innovations in
footwear, Adidas spends the majority of its effort communicating to the sport Persona Elegant, colorful, fresh, spontaneous, individual,
performance segment. In response to the “sports lifestyle” trend being led by metropolitan, international
Puma, Adidas has recently co developed product lines with famous designers and
has focused on the timeless and classic nature of their brand. Associations Fashion brands (Gucci, Armani, Dolce Gabbana)
Fringe / extreme sports
NIKE Music artists & movie stars
Nike has developed a brand that has global reach striving to bring inspiration and
innovation to every athlete in the world. Over the years Nike has partnered with
the world’s greatest athletes to build their brand recognition and reach, Range of Performance & casual footwear
masterfully demonstrating the power of image marketing. Nike communicates to Authority Apparel & accessories
a wide variety of sporting and lifestyle segments while retaining its focus on high
performance athletes. Like Puma, Nike has extended their brand through concept
retail stores, event sponsorships, online customization services, and co branding Audience Anyone who leads an active lifestyle
with design savvy companies. The Nike brand differentiates itself from Puma by
focusing on “performance driven style”, whereas Puma communicates “lifestyle Relationship Hip friend who shows you a good time
driven style”. The Nike brand goes head to head with the Adidas brand on the
“sports performance” front, fiercely competing to improve performance through
technological innovation.

7
Current Brand Differentiation

Improving every athlete’s performance through innovation To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete
in the world

Perform at the highest level Just do it

- Footwear technology innovations
- Automatic customization (Adidas 1)
- Co developed celebrity lines (Stella McCartney)
- Classic styles, tradition and heritage
- Mass Customization (Adicolor)
- Footwear technology platforms (shox, air, airmax, zoom air)
- Cutting edge performance / lifestyle apparel
- Mass customization (NIKE ID)
- Full line of performance / lifestyle accessories
- Digital / Physical Expereriences (Co branding with IPOD)
- Social responsibility (Livestrong, United Nations programs)
- Branded retail experiences (Niketown)
- Event sponsorships (marathons, olympics)

Clear, orderly, practical, hi tech, classic, sophisticated, sincere
Elite Soccer players, soccer teams, NBA stars
Hip hop artists (Run DMC)
Mainstream sports
Athletic, influential, outgoing, fresh, aggressive,
hi tech, futuristic, retro cool
Athletes at the top of their respective sport
(Micheal Jordan, Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong)
Unfair labor practices

High performance footwear Footwear, apparel, equipment in multiple categories

Performance & casual apparel

Anyone who plays sports All athletes - anyone with a body

Respected coach Fellow athlete

8
Brand Portfolio Overview
Masterbrand - Sport Lifestyle
• Classic
• Lifestyle
Puma is doing exceedingly well in the world
of sport lifestyle where it is widely considered
a leading brand that enjoys a comfortable
old-school legitimacy. Within irony-rich, tech
savvy urban hipster circles, Puma is as much a
fashion statement as it is an athletic brand.
Masterbrand - Sport
• Football*
• Running*
• Cricket*
• Baseball*
• Motorsports
• Women (BMX)
• Golf
The primary focus within the sport category
is on football where Puma has leveraged its
heritage in providing performance footwear
for world class soccer athletes. Puma also
claims a “lifestyle” niche and has branched off
into fringe sports such as motorsports and
BMX racing. But it is in the nonconformist
environment of extreme sports that Puma
has more street credibility than many of its
competitors such as heavy-hitting brands like
Nike, Reebok and Sketchers.
Sub-Brands
• Womens Active
• Urban Travel
• Premium Luxury
• Retro - Nostalgia
Through fresh design, co-branding and
partnerships with celebrities and famous
designers, Puma has elevated their brand
image so that it now competes with fashion
brands (Gucci, Dolce & Gabanna, DKNY,
Prada) as well as their traditional rivals in
the sporting footwear industry. Puma has
also attracted new customers, through their
designer sub brands which provide offerings
outside the scope of the core Puma brand.
Co-Brands
• Urban Modern
• Urban Street
• Contemporary
Fashion
Partnering with famous international
fashion designers, architects, and artists has
catalyzed Puma’s recent rise within the life-
style fashion industry. Puma has leveraged
the “brand name” of the designer to help to
build an identity around the offering.
9
Brand Portfolio

Masterbrand - Sport Lifestyle Masterbrand - Sport

“Classic” Football
Suede, Roma, Brasil

The “classic” category exploits Performance, Distinctive, Heritage

the sporting heritage appeal

of the Puma brand by offering
products that combine
timeless classics with the The Puma sport brand category
targets both mainstream sports
latest style.
(football golf, and baseball) as
Running
The “lifestyle” brand category “Lifestyle” well as extreme sports (BMX,
is made up of a wide variety Motorsports). Puma is currently
Speed Cat & Numostro using different brand identities to
of footwear, apparel, and ac-
cessories that are trend differentiate their offerings and
setting, urban, and ultra hip. the messaging from that of the
core brand.
To build associations with
other design savvy brands,
Puma has partnered with
Ferrari, F1 Racing, and Cooper Golf
Mini to co-brand new and
existing products.

“Lifestyle” - Co Branding Casual, Fresh, Whimsical

+ Ferrari

Motorsports

Technical, Mechanical, Performance

+ Cooper Mini Motion

Women / BMX

Feminine, strength, dynamic

10
Brand Portfolio
Sub-Brands
Nuala is the product of an organic partnership
reflecting Christy Turlington’s passion for the
ancient discipline of Yoga. The sub brand
represents PUMA’s commitment to create a
superior mix of sport and lifestyle products. It
is an elegant yet concise fashion collection to
complement a woman’s busy work, travel and
exercise schedule.
Fashion designer Neil Barrett has created a
a collection with global jetsetter in mind.
The collection conveys a modular concept
approach that accomodates the on-the-go
lifestyle of today’s style conscious adventurers.
Platinum is a luxury shoe line that focuses
on craftsmenship and pulls influences from
Pumas’s sport heritage, and recently has drawn
inspiration from the prestige of timeless sports
like polo, yachting, and auto racing.
Co-Brands
The Mihara Yasuhiro limited edition collection
consists of apparel, shoes, and accessories for
both men and women that break through the
boundaries that have been set up through
the course of fashion history. He designs with
the intent of changing our perception and
stereotype. Not interested in churning out
mass produced high street numbers.
Brand Expansion / Adding New Dimensions
The Mongolian Shoe BBQ, is a natural evolu-
tion of the customization trend. It extends
the brand by giving people the opportunity
to build their own shoes and ultimately have
more control over the finished product by
being truly involved in the creative process.
The Puma store shows the brand and what
Puma’s all about. Located in prime locations
in metropolitan areas, the concept store is a
communication and marketing tool, as well as
a sales tool. Distinctive architectural design
leverages a striking uses of puma’s familiar
jumping cat logo.
The Rudolf Dassler Collection recalls the Puma extends their brand by partnering with
innocence and timelessness of sport through Biomega to design a bike that addresses the
its clean, simple, and provocative styling. The needs of the urban commuter. The Puma
collection is rooted in the heritage of soccer, Biomega Street Bike is the Scandinavian take
tennis, running, and boxing shoes of the late on US-style bad boy culture.
1940’s and 1950’s.
The Starck shoe collection is not based on
design, not on showing off, not on more and
more and more features, but on showing less
and less and less. It means more technology,
more intelligence, but less styling. This is the
secret of the Starck Puma Line.
11
Brand Names
Brand Names PUMA
The Puma brand name stands for distinctiveness,
individualism, spontaneity, internationalism, and
sporting heritage. “Distinctiveness” and “indi-
viduality” allude to the brand focus on cutting
edge design and fashion trends while retaining a
non conformist attitude. “Spontaneity” caters to
the brand focus on the active lifestyle. Interna-
tionalism speaks to global reach and appeal of
the Puma brand. It stands for “sporting heritage”
because Puma still sells a variety of classic styles
that have been around for over 25 years.
The brand name alludes to the attributes of the
puma animal: the combination of speed, power,
elegance , attributes often associated with ath-
letes. The name is also short, easy to pronounce,
and memorable.
Visual Treatment
The Puma symbol is one the few logos that can
be used with or without an accompanying name.
The logo has been used for over thirty years and
has now has gained global recognition. The
iconic leaping cat tells us that the brand is active,
aggressive, and forward looking. The leaping
monotone cat is also a highly identifiable
trademark of old-school seniority. The organic
and curvacous styling of the leaping cat suggest
the visual styles that Puma footwear delivers.
The all capital sans serif font helps the company
create a commanding presence that sets an
aggressive tone. The logo is visually appealing in
black-and-white as they are in color.
nuala
The name nuala is an acronym representing:
Natural - Universal - Altruistic - Limitless -
Authentic. The name is defined as “meditation
in motion” and it stands for intuition, intelligence,
and individuality. “Intuition” speaks to trusting
your own instincts and your ability to connect
with your inner self. “Intelligence” speaks to
providing smart footwear and apparel solutions
that combine style with performance. “Individu-
ality” addresses the idea that lifestyle products
should fit and adapt to the demanding needs of
each woman.
The elegant geometric simplicity of the nuala
symbol clearly references the principles and
ideals of yoga and holistic living. The lower
case lettering indicates the human and organic
nature of the brand and the rounded sans serif
font references the “circle of life”. Unlike other
designer collections, the nuala mark does not ref-
erence Puma nor the creator and sponsor, model
Christy Turlington.
The addition of Turlington’s name may help build
brand awareness because the brand is trying to
differentiate itself from Puma and other
competition like Stella McCartney’s Adidas Line
and Nike.
96 HOURS
Innovative, urban and versatile, 96 Hours
accomodates the on-the-go lifestyle of today’s
style conscious travelers. “Innovative” speaks
to the concept of providing a small selection
of pieces that provide everything an intrepid
adventurer/ traveller would need to keep togged
up for four days. “Urban” addresses the casual
modern style that fits into your daily routine
whether its work or pleasure. “Versatile” speaks
to the “on-the-go lifestyle” of today’s style
conscious types who embark on impossibly
glamorous blurs of airport lounges and boutique
hotel lobbies, meetings and cocktail bars, gyms
and gallery openings.
Overall, the name misses the mark because there
is a disconnect on the number of hours a quick
trip might take for the average active traveler.
Instead of 96 hours, they should have tried 24, 36,
or 48 hours to really help people easily connect
to the core of the concept.
The 96 hours graphic symbol is clear,
straightforward and blunt. The “military” type
font suggest the urgency and pace at which this
brand is meant to be experienced. The font
suggests a brand that is rugged, tough, and
prepares you for your mission: adventorous
travel at all cost.
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Master Brand Communication
Identity Elements
Type Face and Text Placement
Clean & Modern Typography
Puma consistently uses Helvetica font throughout their brand
communication material. From websites to ads and packaging,
Helvetica font is used in both upper cases and lower cases.
The chosen typography works well for Puma’s brand im-
age because it a timeless font that connects the classic
heritage style and with trendy fashion forward styles. There
is also a minimal use of text in print material, websites and
advertisements, letting the products “speak” for themselves.
Color
Refined Color Palette
Puma’s primary color palette of black, red, white, and grey is
consistently used across their brand communication to unify the
different master brand categories, sub brands, and co brands.
Their signature color is a saturated red which is bold, distinctive,
and easy to recognize. In addition clean, white backgrounds are
consistently used across master brand websites. Their spartan
approach to color is especially helpful to consumers because
Puma’s products (footwear, apparel, accessories) are offered in a
vast array of colors and styles in which the overall brand identity
could get easily lost.
Layout
Adhering to the grid
Arranging layouts on a grid gives Puma’s communications
a clean, simple, and modern look and feel. Logo’s, symbols,
and text adhere to the grid to reinforce the modern design
nature of the brand. Puma uses the grid layout to organize the
minimal copy in a clear and orderly manner shifting the focus
to the different product offerings.
The use of their primary color palette can be found in all of
Puma’s communication imagery supporting the integrate
nature of the brand. Pictures and visual zones often have crisp
corners that reinforce the look and feel of Puma’s products
through their modernity and timelessness.
13
Master Brand Communication
Identity Elements
Logo Identity & Placement
Master Logo
Puma uses their master logo across all
brands and across all categories as a central
unifying mark. The logo has been
traditionally utilized as a footwear tag and as
apparel and accessory marks.
Product Tags
Ambient Street Advertising
Retail Signage
“Leaping Cat” Logo
The “leaping cap” has recently been used as
a stand alone logo because the Puma logo
has gained enough recognition over the
years and it’s now instantly associated with
the Puma brand. As Puma moves forward,
they continue to use the leaping cat logo on
an increasing number of their brand touch
points ranging from footwear to in store
environments
Footwear & Apparel
Street Graffiti
Event Signage
Typography Logo
The Puma type based logo is primarily utilized
in the master brand “sport lifestyle” category.
This logo is associated with the following two
aspects of the Puma brand: retro classics and
fashionable apparel.
Apparel & Accessories
“Super Cat” Logo
The “Super Cat” logo was first designed in the
early 1970’s as an evolution of the leaping
puma that historically donned the sides of
Puma’s footwear. Since then, the mark has
served as an instantly recognizable trademark
symbol for the Puma brand. As the portfolio
has expanded beyond footwear, Puma has
found ways to introduce the super cat log
into accessories and apparel.
Footwear & Accessories
14
Master Brand Communication
Identity Elements
Imagery
Master Brand - Sport Lifestyle
Puma’s master brand website and advertising campaign employ a variety of techniques to
communicate the Puma’s brand integration of sport, lifestyle, and fashion. The imagery alludes
to “active lifestyles” that are associated more with fashion (social events, shopping) than sport.
Imagery ranges from up close product shots, to fashion models wearing the product, to both
abstract and photo imagery of activities that young hip people participate in. The imagery is
clearly designed to appeal to active urban females as the target demographic.
Master Brand - Sport
In the sport master brand categories, Puma consistently uses photo imagery to communicate
the brand message. Advertisements and web sites typically portray an athlete dynamically
participating in a sporting activity wearing the Puma products. The product itself becomes the
backdrop to the dynamic gesture of the athlete. Interestingly enough, the athlete is typically
portrayed as participating in the activity alone, not in a group or team. Unlike their competitors,
Puma had few athlete endorsements, making the brand accessible to almost anyone involved
with that particular sport.
15
Sub Brand & Co Brand
Communication Identity Elements
Sub Brands
Nuala
Nuala is represented by a warm and sophisticated
color palette. The brand utilizes sans serif font in
lower cases adding a feeling an organic, approach-
able and friendly feel. Photo imagery depicts both
the collection designer (Turlington) in up close
shots and active women participating in activi-
ties like yoga and dance. Overall, the Nuala brand
communications convey an intelligent approach to
addressing the needs of a womens active lifestyle.
96 Hours
96 Hours is represented by a muted, cool
color palette and the bold text usage is
minimal to non existent. With this sub brand,
Puma takes a traditional approach to com-
municating their brand message by using
photo imagery that captures models using
and displaying the product line. Although
the images are taken in urban settings such
as airports and office buildings, the brand
purpose seems to unclear and inconsistent.
Co-Brands
Puma - Mihara
Puma - Mihara is represented by a saturated
and bold color palette. The use of typogra-
phy is nonexistent, forcing the products to
speak for themselves. Imagery in advertise-
ments and websites portray exercising cyber
punks, trailer trash partiers , and bowling
steet zombies. Communications effectively
the underground street culture origin of the
Mihara brand.
Puma - Starck
Starck utilizes the Puma’s master brand color
palette with the addition of a saturated yellow as
his signature color. Relying on the ability of the
products to communicate the brand message,
the use of typography is nonexistent. In
atypical fashion, Starck has restrained from
showing his face in this brands communications.
Instead, he opted for a clean, minimal aesthetic
that focuses on a single primal character and his
relation to the footwear. The result is whimsical,
fun, and approachable.
16
Communication Assets
Puma Stores - Providing Rich Customer Interactions
Puma’s retail experience is replacing the brand message as their
primary promotional delivery vehicle. Retail continues to grow in
importance as a showcase for the brand and as a way of getting
more innovative products to the consumer. In 2006, Puma opened
20 new “Concept” stores and countless more PUMA stores and
outlets. The concept stores serve as the epicenter of the Puma
brand, providing consumers with a more holistic experience by
enabling interaction with their customers on different levels,
displaying the depth of the brand while creating even more
opportunity for discovery. In addition, Concept Stores host the
Mongolian BBQ, where consumers can design their own
personalized shoes. In 2006, Puma retail has been used to
introduce exclusive product launches, as well as other unique
brand driven consumer events.
Cultural Connection and personal expression value
Dedicated to using the most advanced technology in creating
products that realizes the fullest potential of its user, PUMA has
remained in a pinnacle position in the world of sports. However, in
recent years, Puma has bravely ventured into the realm of fashion
and has proved equally successful, garnering great following by the
young and trendy. Combining athletic sensibilities with fashion
chic, PUMA has remained in the forefront of style with its classic
styles unleashing unlimited potential. From the style capital of
Paris to the streets of Tokyo, PUMA is present everywhere - a must
have item for the fashionable crowds. Puma’s diverse offering of
products ultimately allow their customers to express their
individuality through trend setting style and fashionable utility.
Frequent product launches & a cornucopia of styles
New product launches, seasonal styling changes, customer focused
events, and new retail store openings help keep the Puma brand
fresh in the minds of consumers. Interestingly enough, Puma
communicates the cutting edge of fashion and active lifestyle
trends through fresh footwear and apparel designs that combine
material, colors, and styles into products that resonate with
customers.
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Communication Assets
Leading Sports Lifestyle Creates Differentiation
Puma, which has managed to differentiate itself from more power-
ful rivals like Nike and Adidas, has emerged as a hugely influential
brand, transforming from an alternative brand to a global icon with
broader desirability. The brand’s message was refined, its voice clari-
fied and in the process, Puma has created a new market segment:
sport lifestyle. Now that competitors are playing in the sport lifestyle
segment, Puma now strives to be the most “desirable” sport lifestyle
company in the world. Puma’s marketing strategy seeks to establish
the brand as an icon that extends its lead in the sport lifestyle
market. The key to achieving this position is to maintain a culturally
relevant message that connects with consumers despite a cluttered
media environment.
Sub Brands Serving Premium Niches
All of Puma’s sub-brands (Nuala, 96 hours, Platinum, Rudolf Dassler
Collection) exist to serve different premium niche market segments.
This strategy enables the Puma master brand to focus on the core
segments of sport and sport lifestyle without dilluting the brand
message to its core audience.
Wearing the Brand - Inherent Brand Visibility
The name PUMA has been synonymous with the athletic spirit
and sport lifestyle, playing a pivotal role in the illustrious history of
sports. For many years, the brand became inextricably linked with
some of the world’s top performing athletes, and in some of their
most glorious moments. Currently, the Puma brand is often
associated with people who are fashionable, trendy and lead an
active lifestyle. To build brand awareness and recognition, Puma has
and continues to prominently display their logos on almost all of
their footwear, apparel, and accessories. With such a recognizable
brand as Puma, they spend little time on generating awareness, but
instead spend a considerable amount of time maintaining visibility
and awareness.
18
Communication Assets
Creating the buzz with key influencers
Puma focuses on making sure “key influencers” are wearing the
brand, primarily through having what they call “brand zinger” events
for their target audiences throughout the year. Events include
underground parties, dj and dance competitions, and gatherings of
different “anti establishment” segments. By respecting the culture
and voice of these groups, Puma lets the participants personify the
essence of the Puma brand, thus bringing free word of mouth
advertising and building elusive “street cred”.
Deep pockets for communications
Puma products generate significant margins. the company is
rapidly growing and they are constantly testing new ways to
communicate their brand. They are a company that leverages
an image marketing strategy that requires heavy investments in
all aspects of brand communications ranging from new concept
stores to print and media advertisements.
Organizational Assets
One of Puma’s greatest strengths is its CEO Jochen Zeitz who has
devised and implemented a five stage strategy that focuses on
innovation and design. Part of this strategy includes leveraging
existing communication assets but also aggressively developing
new ones. He has single handedly changed the company and
supercharged the brand by helping to attract and retain top
creative talent and allowing them to radically experiment with
the brand and its communication assets.
Marketing Context
Puma’s marketing efforts clearly fall in Kotler’s information
economy category , but they still market themselves in a few
ways that fits the “industrial economy” paradigm. Puma is
clearly focused on customer acquisition than on customer
retention. It relies on its heritage in sport categories, but
the sport lifestyle category seeks to broaden the size of the
market to anyone who leads an “active lifestyle”. While Puma
follows the information economy paradigm of building its
brand through company behavior, it also builds its brand
through heavy advertising. This strategy makes sense because
it needs to reach consumers who often respond to visual
media and Puma is particularly adept at creating distinctive
and memorable advertising.
19
Key Brand Communication Decisions

Puma Concept Retail Stores

PUMA has taken the sport-fashion concept a step further by creating a branded
store environment that showcases its cutting edge designs and
collaborative projects. The design intent of the PUMA concept a place where
the PUMA energy is evident, promotes city style, and encourages casual
shopping. Puma has developed a strong design image through its stores in
America and Europe and although there is a strong unifying style, each store
has its own characteristics defined by local culture and site constraints. PUMA
Concept Stores utilize the jumping cat branding as its focal point for design
direction and each of the fixtures in the store is inspired by sport and it is
designed to be a place where all of PUMA’s sport-fashion brands can intersect
and interact in a unique way. Features that are often integrated into the retail
environment design include signature internally illuminated ‘niche walls’,
folding ceiling and wall panels, internally illuminated cantilevered shelving,
display boxes and the large feature arch at the entry to the store. In addition,
the concept stores often host signature events such as Mongolian shoe bbq’s,
fashion shows, and dj hosted dance parties.

20
Key Brand Communication Decisions

Puma Fashion Shows

As Puma ventures into the fashion world with their “sport lifestyle” master
brand, fashionable sub brands, and designer collections they are beginning to
reach new audiences through different communication channels. Puma now
hosts seasonal fashion shows at sleek facilities at fashion hot spots around
the world. Shows are typically media rich events that combine live dj’s, visual
multimedia, and models wearing the latest and hippest products from Puma.
The vibrance, energy and perpetual motion of the event mirror the PUMA brand
aesthetic, and attracts “sport lifestyle” consumers from across the globe. These
events attract a multitude of retail purchasers allowing Puma to expand into
new market outlets. These types of events help Puma differentiate themselves
even further from their traditional competitors: Adidas and Nike.

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Detailed Analysis of a Communication
“New Stuff” advertising campaign “New Stuff” TV Advertisements - Winter 2005/06
The communications I chose to analyze are the “New Stuff” ads on TV and in
print featuring animals interacting with Puma products in adoring and
distinctive ways.

Targeting a youthful audience

PUMA decided to communicate their brand image through a product-focused
campaign that conveys cutting edge style to a 16-34 year old audience.

Style focused messages

Puma introduced the award winning “New Stuff” campaign as a way to
showcase their design leadership. New stuff print executions highlighted the
freshest new Puma styles and the commitment that Puma has to providing
customers with innovative sport lifestyle products.

Attracting new customers

A core objective of the campaign was to increase sales, increase the Ad Agency: Zenith Optimedia International/GBH

mainstream audience’s knowledge of Puma ranges and project the brand’s core
values as being different. New products needed to be showcased to the
mainstream audience in a creative and unique way that was “unexpected, “New Stuff” Print Advertisements - Spring & Summer 2006
unique and different” . To communicate this concept, animated animals such
as monkeys, bats, bees, mice, and fish are depicted as playfully interacting with
Puma products in an engaging and fresh manner.

Usage of mixed media

Puma first introduced this campaign in 15 second television advertisements.
The campaign was visually fresh and clean with crisp photography that drew at-
tention to the products. The print advertising that followed reflects the focused
simplicity and whimsical nature of the TV spots.

Building momentum from the holiday season

TV spots were run in November and they drew inspiration from Aesop’s fables
by depicting two typical adversaries gifting each other Puma presents. Based
upon the success of the TV ads, print ads were run into the following two sea-
sons highlighting new Puma products. Elements of the ad migrated into
surrounding media environments, engaging advertising savvy young adults
who might be suspicious of broadcast advertising.

“Presentation” communication mode

These advertisements obviously fall into the Presentation mode and structured
around the products themselves (features and attributes).

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 Trent Kahute
Communication Planning : ID520B : Fall 2006
Instructor: Peter Laundy
IIT Institute of Design