Campaign strategy
Role Strategist & New Business Team Support
Agency J Walter Thompson
Brand PUMA
Project AOR Pitch
Date Summer 2013
During the summer of 2013, I worked as a strategist in the new business department supporting the team on a series of high profile pitches. Rumor had it that Droga5 and PUMA had parted ways. Despite being noted as a well respected campaign in adland, “The After Hours Athlete” hadn’t helped solidify PUMA as an athletic powerhouse among well established players such as Nike, Adidas and newer brands such as Under Armour.
I was tasked with leading the background research in partnership with account management, conducting man-on-the-street interviews, in store visits, competitive analysis and any other research we could get our hands on to better understand the challenge and DNA of the brand.
We discovered that despite their popularity in other markets, PUMA had been relegated to an almost nostalgic but mostly irrelevant lifestyle brand.
Key target misattributed PUMA’s most famous athletic partnership to their greatest rival –
“The reason why I never bought PUMAs is because I don’t think there are a lot of famous athletes wearing them. I think Usain Bolt is with Adidas.”
— Aaron, 15, Prospect Park, Brooklyn
But we knew that despite their challenges in the United States, there was a reason they had been a household name for over 60 years, so we looked into their history - one rooted in sports. Turns out they had a long history of attracting and sponsoring athletes who had a tendency to break the rules. But these were rules that were meant to be broken, written or unwritten that held athletes back based off their gender, race or otherwise ensured that not everyone was on the same playing field.
And they did it with an almost cat-like, instinctual joy in service of the love of their sport.
In short, the essence of the brand and of those they associated themselves with could be described as “joyfully defiant.” Athletes like Serena Williams paved the way for women and black athletes as an unapologetic leader in tennis. Usain Bolt defied the limits of human speed with a wink and a smile.
The attitude was swagger –
“People that really got swag wear [PUMAS]. Only people that got swag wear it. Like I wear it for the stye. It sets the trend.”
— 18 year old in Union Square
We backed up our hunch and through a survey, found that those who had the “joyfully defiant” gene were more likely to own PUMAS.
So we leaned into this swagger with a strategy that was both a rallying cry and love letter to the DNA of the brand, encouraging fans to pounce on opportunities and re-write the rules of sports and life.
PUMA saw our passion for the brand and chose J Walter Thompson as the agency of record. The campaign, tone and language from our strategy continues to guide PUMA’s communication and values as a brand a decade later. More importantly, it marked the beginning of a company-wide transformation and continuing upward trajectory.
Since the campaign and subsequent repositioning was launched in early 2014, PUMA’s stock price has nearly doubled and continues to be on an upward trend in sales, beating Under Armour in their growth trajectory. PUMA is also back in the cultural conversation, having attracted partnerships with esteemed creators such as Rihanna, The Weeknd and Kylie Jenner. Finally, PUMA made strides in their athletic credibility, re-entering the NBA among other athletic partnerships. “In JWT, we have found an agile agency with a global reach that understands the PUMA brand and culture. The team quickly proved that they could deliver on our new mission to become the Fastest Sports Brand in the World.”
“In JWT, we have found an agile agency with a global reach that understands the PUMA brand and culture. The team quickly proved that they could deliver on our new mission to become the Fastest Sports Brand in the World.”
— Bjorn Gulden, CEO of PUMA
Adweek: “N.Y. Office Was Central to JWT’s PUMA Win”
Marketing Interactive: “JWT Scoops Up PUMA’S Global Ad Business”
AdAge: “JWT New York Picks Up Global PUMA Creative Business”
“Molly is a passionate, eager and hard-working member of the team. Whether taking to the streets to perform live on-the-fly "focus groups," pulling together research for global brand snapshots, or supporting strategists on new business pitches, Molly contributes a massive appetite for unearthing insights on brands and consumers alike. This came into play in our recent new business pitches for Google and PUMA (both wins).”
— Head of New Business, J Walter Thompson
“I’ve had two opportunities to work with Molly. Both pitches for brands in very different categories. Molly was a brilliant partner. Her biggest gift is the flow of inspiration she brings into the space. She’s driven by curiosity that’s way broader than simply the industry she exists in. She’s able to connect disparate pieces of information and bring a new perspective to a challenge. Molly is an asset that makes the work better and heightens the chances of winning that all important pitch.”
— Global Director of Strategy, J Walter Thompson