Redefining Athlete and a Brand

I love it when I see a brand take on a meaningful role, aka positioning, and integrate it into every single one of its touch points creating a wonderfully fluid story no matter where you begin interacting with the brand -- and Puma has done just that.

Puma has taken its, in my opinion, tired brand, and run neon lighting through it to reinvigorate itself to make it relevant to people who aren't typically the primary target of sportswear brands -- the after hours athlete. People who like to wear trendy sportswear in casual social settings.

This all started with an award winning and moving campaign featuring a classic voiceover creating a rallying call and celebration for after hour athletes:



The success of this campaign has clearly leapt from its TV and print campaign to create a more long-term positioning for the brand and further establish its support for the after hours athlete by creating tangible brand experiences.

I first noticed this on my daily walk into work through Carnaby Street -- Puma has completely redesigned its retail experience to appeal to the after hours athlete.

Even the inside of the shop is filled with foosball, pool and ping pong tables, along with mannequins wearing clown wigs and posters featuring after hour athlete mantras.  It's a massive expense and undertaking to redesign your stores, so it's clear this is a positioning Puma is dedicated to.

Not only are they creating some fabulous retail theatre for the brand's positioning, but they are also creating offline social events to encourage people to get together for after hour athlete activities around the world.  Actually, I think that's another thing I love about this whole re-positioning initiative - it's talking to a global youth audience.

I'm impressed with Puma's repositioning. They have found a truly unique segment to gear their products and experiences towards, and are making a clear effort to owning and mastering this space.  Not only that, their communications have been used to stimulate a movement to take part in Puma's support for those who enjoy recreational, late night, social activities.

Today, for a brand positioning claim to be truly valid, the organization must stand behind its claim through actions. These actions involve the retail experience, products, engagement activities, and any other consumer touch points. This is where Puma is succeeding and Reebok has missed the opportunity. I look forward to seeing more from Puma and all the fun things they can do with their new positioning.  Having said that, only time will tell if this brand position is meaningful enough internally to continue to be delivered upon, ensuring the brand remains relevant to the market stimulating long-term demand.