Puma has unveiled its new high-performance sportswear range for this summer's Olympic Games in the event's host city, as it launches its first global brand campaign in a decade, aimed at finding international brand enhancement.
This will be the official kit supplier for athletes of 17 national teams, including Jamaica, Brazil and New Zealand.
Puma CEO Arne Freundt took to the stage at the Mob House hotel in northern Paris on Wednesday April 10 to announce the marketing campaign – with the tagline “Always Faster – Watch the Game Like We Do ” – which he said aims to position it as “the world's fastest sports brand”.
“Everyone dreams of having superpowers and Puma's speed,” he told the audience.
Puma CEO Arne Freundt addresses the media at an event in Paris on Wednesday April 10.
The new campaign is now live on social media, TV, out-of-home media (such as billboards and posters) and points of sale worldwide, and includes a film featuring sports stars such as Manchester City footballer Jack Grealish and Arsenal striker Kai Havertz.
Later this year, Puma will release videos themed around the UEFA Euro 2024 football tournament (which takes place from June 14 to July 14) and the Olympic Games, which will begin on July 26.
Freundt – who took up the top role at the German sportswear brand in January 2023 – said the launch event took six months to plan, but he would not reveal the overall cost.
One of the top three priorities he identified when starting the job — besides reaching more consumers in the US and China — was elevating the brand, he told Drapers, and identified the new global campaign as a key part of driving this forward.
“In some markets [consumers’] understand that Puma as a performance brand is still lagging behind,” he added. “This brand campaign really gives us a chance to break through.”
Sports stars Karsten Warholm, Yaroslava Mahuchikh, Colin Jackson, Breanna Stewart and Armand Gustav “Mondo” Duplantis at the event in Paris.
To highlight the brand's performance profile, the launch event was hosted by former Olympic medalist hurdler and former world record holder Colin Jackson, a long-time Puma ambassador.
Jackson represented Great Britain and Wales in competitions such as the Olympic Games and the Commonwealth Games from the late 1980s to the early 2000s – and set a world record in the 110m event hurdles in 1993, with a time of 12.92 seconds.
He was joined by US basketball player Breanna Stewart, Ukrainian high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh, Norwegian sprinter Karsten Warholm and Swedish-American pole vaulter Armand Gustav” Mondo” Duplantis.
During the Q&A, Warholm explained how he worked with Puma's product and design teams to develop a new modern spiked running shoe called the Berserker that he will wear at the Paris Olympics.
Mutaz Essa Barshim and Puma product manager Maria Valdes.
Also on stage was Qatari high jump champion Mutaz Essa Barshim, who was interviewed by Puma product manager Maria Valdes on some of the highlights of his sporting career to date.
The four track and field athletes then donned their national tracksuits, as Puma revealed their kits for the Olympic Games.
