Despite Puma's rich heritage in Football, we were number three, behind Nike and Adidas. Additionally, Puma had one of the smallest budgets for marketing, team and athlete sponsorships, further limiting their ability to compete. But in 2006, the strategy of sponsoring the long shots paid off and catapulted Puma center stage when Italy won World Cup. The next four years were very good years for Puma Football.
RESPONSIBILITY // Puma Football is one of business category P&Ls that rolled up under my team. The category director worked cross-functionally to drive the go-to-market process.
RESULT // Integrating product, marketing and specialty sales allowed the business to move faster and capitalize on the rapid demand. Puma Football sales increased by low double digits year over year for the three years following Italy's win.
Puma aggressively broke back into the running market, a category dominated by endemic running brands like Brooks, Asics & New Balance as well as behemoths like Nike and Adidas. Authenticity and credibility came with marketing assets like Jamaica’s Track and Field Olympic team and Superstar Usan Bolt. Puma Running was sport-inspired lifestyle AND lifestyle-inspired sport. From track spikes to marathon kicks to shoes with visible technology, Puma reconnected with runners at specialty stores and captured an enormous footprint in the mall stores with run & run-inspired product.
RESPONSIBILITY // Leadership over the Running Category rolled up under Category Management team.
RESULT // The broader Running category grew to almost $200 million in three years.
Moto-inspired product was the life-blood of PUMA. Low profile driving shoes inspired by motorsports like F1, MotoGP and even NASCAR. Puma amplified their equity in this market with partnerships with brands like Ferrari, Ducati, BMW and Red Bull - specifically their high-performance moto-racing teams. Each season collaboration collections were introduced to act as the tip of the spear.
RESPONSIBILITY // Each of the collaborations required product launch management. These collab launches into US distribution rolled up under my team, e.g., Ducati and Red Bull.
RESULT // Each of these collections would launch into specialty distribution and eventually expand into mall distribution. Each collab launch was instrumental in bringing freshness and newness to the brand and product range.
The core silhouettes of the Puma apparel business were the Puma Cat logo t-shirt and the track suit. Hungry to develop the US market for Puma Apparel, a comprehensive business plan was needed. What needed to change to win with Puma Apparel in the US? Address how merchandising, marketing and distribution integrate to drive consumer interest and demand.
RESPONSIBILITY // Owned the business plan and worked cross-functionally with product, marketing and sales leads.
RESULT // The plan approved by the board and implemented, resulting in realignment of human and capital resources. Three years later Puma Apparel had shifted from 12% to 22% of the revenue mix.
Puma Sailing was all about expanding beyond the world of Puma Sports to Sportswear - going head to head with the likes of Ralph, Hilfiger Nautica, and LaCoste. Our strategy would be to ground Puma sportswear to the sport of Sailing - not the nostalgia or past time, but to competitive ocean and off-short racing. Performance gear for real sailors formed the foundation of the brand’s positioning. From there, the brand developed a men’s and women’s collection of sportswear to be sold at department stores
RESPONSIBILITY // Drafted the initial US go-to-market for Puma Sailing, then led the launch, working with global product teams on assortments and US sales on product sell-in.
RESULT // The lifestyle collection launched into department stores and and the performance collection sold into sailing specialty shops across the US.
As Caddy Shack taught us, Golf has always been an old and uptight game - considered to be unattractive and unrelatable to the next generation. Tiger changed all that. But while Nike Golf represented winning - it lacked personality, energy, color, and a playfulness. This was Puma Golf.
RESPONSIBILITY // Although actively managed at a global-level, the US Puma Golf business unit rolled up under my group.
RESULT // Launched in 2007 in the US, Puma Golf quickly became the youthful brand of choice to the teens, twenty and thirty somethings hitting the links.
As a sport lifestyle brand, Puma pulled in dozens of high-fashion designers to collaboratively develop footwear and apparel collections. These collections were successfully sold through fashion and sneaker boutiques, as well as better and best department stores. These collaborations help PUMA cultivate the lifestyle ingredient to it's sport lifestyle positioning.
RESPONSIBILITY // Responsibility for the Puma Black Label collections full under my team
RESULT // Over a three year period, the Black Label portfolio was narrowed and focused from seven brands to three, making sell-in and sell-thru easier. Collection profitability and retailer relations also improved.
Puma Baseball was a big question mark. US investment in baseball was limited to a couple players and a few NCAA college programs. There was little to no love for Puma baseball in the other geographic regions. As one of the only markets pushing for Puma Baseball, the US team needed a detailed assessment for go or no go on continuing to invest in the Baseball category.
RESPONSIBILITY // Developed a comprehensive opportunity assessment of the market, product, distribution, competition, marketing, etc.
RESULT // Based on the assessment's recommendation, the Board decided to exit the category and invest in other, higher growth categories.
There was tremendous support for PUMA to get 'back' into Basketball. After a 20 year hiatus, the landscape had changed significantly. Now the market was dominated by two monster companies; Nike/Jordan/Converse and Adidas/Reebok. Investment in the sport both on the product and marketing side had reached all new heights.
RESPONSIBILITY // Puma's board, commissioned a study of the viability of moving back into basketball. I created an product and marketing plan, evaluating internal resources, capabilities and investment as well as external distribution and competitive dynamics.
RESULT // Based on the study's recommendation, the Board decided not to pursue the Basketball category.