Puma is one of my favorite brands simply because they get it. They successfully reinvented the brand from obscurity a decade ago to become arguably the global shoe brand most synonymous with innovative youth culture.
The video above is an exceptional use of projections that has a simple, universal appeal reminiscent of the OK GO “Here it goes again” which as of the time writing this post has amassed 45 million views on YouTube. The lightness and playfulness of the video seem to fit with the Lift campaign aesthetic in ways that make the experience meaningful on the part of the consumer. Thanks to Wooster Collective for drawing my attention to the video.
Puma kicked it up a notch with their Mongolian Shoe BBQ that again draws upon the playful experience of entering a restaurant and choosing your own ingredients for your meal. Visitors can go to Puma’s website and then walk through a series of steps until they have their own custom creation.
Last year I had the opportunity to check out an installation by Fredrico Uribe in New York that used 25,000 shoelaces and 750 pairs of various PUMA shoes to fill a 4,000 sq/ft space with an installation called “Human Nature.” The exhibit had another playful integration of branding in a space by bringing the visitor into an environment filled with predatory animals – tigers, birds, lions, and of couse, pumas. Check out Sole Collector’s excellent write-up on the installation
Each of these are excellent examples to remind marketers that brands can have a physical presence that does not beat the consumer over the head with logo placement. Truly integrated experiential marketing leaves a lasting impression in ways that allow people to take ownership of the brand by moving it into a permanent place in their memories about the encounter.
I would not have made the conscious recognition that any of these were specifically created by Puma, I simply thought they were cool. The first impression becomes the most memorable, and then the overall experience became framed by associations with the brand. Adding value and meaning leads to consumer loyalty and brand advocacy.
