Who is PUMA? – A variety of faces

A brand’s identity is not only its history and values, it comes to life with faces.

PUMA chooses its brand ambassadors thoroughly, as whoever will represent the brand needs to stand for the same values and have matching characteristics. They are chosen to supposedly increase popularity but are also contributing to the uniqueness of the brand. Brand ambassadors contribute to the personal connection between the customer and the brand, it adds some humanization. Humanizing a brand is usually achieved through personal wordings, and responding to individuality. But including brand ambassadors also adds relatable features, and a personal connection which in return enhances the costumer’s likeliness to gain trust in the brand and to become loyal.

To reach PUMA’s various customers, a variety of faces is needed.

This is why the brand includes athletes, like footballers, runners, or formula 1 drivers, but also, singers, or influencers in their marketing strategy. Enhancing the credibility of the brand ambassadors is easier for brand ambassadors that can present the products in a natural manner.

Let’s look at some examples

Firstly, the German sport’s influencer Pamela Reif designed a personal collection and presents the pieces on her personal Instagram account as well as in her youtube workout videos. She therefore can be declared as personally interested in good sporting clothes, and additionally, as she also collaborates with fashion brands, adds a touch of fashion, which is also an important characteristic for the multi-purpose brand PUMA. For PUMA Pamela’s fame, especially during the COVID-crisis (her workout-videos got a massive push all over the world), is a benefit. Her followers are mostly consistent with the brand’s target group.

Another successful collaboration: Antoine Griezmann. In 2019 the French footballer and the sport’s brand celebrated their 10th year anniversary and presented another signature shoe. The brand does not only dresses him and maintains a professional relationship. Talking about humanizing, the relationship could be perceived as a friendship even, as for example on the brand’s homepage the footballer is called „Grizi“.

But finally, another interesting feature that makes PUMA as a brand quite approachable is their search for „average“ people as brand ambassadors. Every one, non-popular can apply for the position as a brand ambassador. The vacancy includes sales support, merchandise, and other representative tasks.

Everyone makes mistakes

Not always does the brand make the right choice, though. Romelu Lukaku is not a good example when it comes to loyalty. Taploid press has reported several times, that he has been spotted in other sports wear brands’ products. And rumors have been going around that he’d quit the collaboration after only two years with PUMA.

Listing all of the faces PUMA has collaborated with would exceed the scope, so I had to limit myself to just a few interesting ones.

Overall, PUMA has a diverse set of faces, which increases relatability, popularity, and credibility.

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Numrich, M. (2019, September 06). PUMA & Griezmann feiern 10 Jahre Zusammenarbeit: Der Neue PUMA Future bei Unisport. Retrieved November 7, 2020, from https://www.unisportstore.de/blog/13004-puma-griezmann-feiern-10-jahre-zusammenarbeit-der-neue-puma-future-bei-unisport/

Romelu Lukaku To Leave Puma After Just 2 Years? (2020, September 03). Retrieved November 7, 2020, from https://www.footyheadlines.com/2020/09/romelu-lukaku-to-leave-puma-after-just.html

https://www.dshs-koeln.de/uploads/tx_mshjobboerse/BRAND%20AMBASSADORS_final_1448016263.pdf

Antoine Griezmann Co-Designs a Football Boot to celebrate ten years of his professional career. (n.d.). Retrieved November 7, 2020, from https://about.puma.com/en/newsroom/brand-and-product-news/2019/2019-09-06-antoine-griezmann-co-designs-a-football-boot

Cottingham, K. (2018, November 13). How human is your brand? Retrieved November 7, 2020, from https://www.marketingweek.com/how-human-is-your-brand/

Lenz, A. (2020, April 08). Deutschlands erfolgreichste Fitness-Influencerin Pamela Reif im Gespräch: "Auf Social Media fehlt oft der Mehrwert". Retrieved November 7, 2020, from https://www.textilwirtschaft.de/business/sports/pamela-reif-auf-social-media-fehlt-oft-der-mehrwert-225020