EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In today’s competitive and dynamic world, with every business providing the same
kind of product or services, only that firm which comes up with an innovative idea
can hope to survive in the long run, by attracting and luring customers.

Sports lifestyle is an upcoming sector but, selling sports products has become tough
due to the competition angle attached to it.

Pricing is the key issue and major international players already present in India are
sort of waiting in the wings to see what and how their competitors go about their
strategies

This project deals with the sales and marketing techniques of PUMA. The company
had various numbers of products which the company offers to their customers.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

Marketing strategy is the fundamental goal of increasing sales and achieving
sustainable competitive advantage. Marketing strategy includes all basic, short-term,
and long-term activities in the field of marketing that deal with the analysis of the
strategic initial situation of a company and the formulation, evaluation and selection
of market-oriented strategies and therefore contribute to the goals of the company
and its marketing objectives

A good marketing strategy should be drawn from market research and focus on the
right product mix in order to achieve the maximum profit potential and sustain the
business. The marketing strategy is the foundation of a marketing plan.

Through this project, I have tried to study the marketing strategies of the PUMA,
since its conception, in the global and Indian market. It also covers the innovative
promotional strategies.
Sports lifestyle is a relatively new and rapidly growing industry in India. This project
studies how PUMA fairs in this race to become India’s leading sports lifestyle brand.
I have also done a comparative study of PUMA with it’s competitors as the level of
competition has a very significant effect on the marketing strategies of any company.
I have also done a brief study of the four P’s of marketing- product, place, promotion
and price.

I have tried my level best to cover all aspects in regard to my research.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

 To study Puma’s share in world and Indian market.

 To analyze consumer preferences regarding Puma products.

 To study the innovative marketing strategies of the company.

 To understand the strengths and weaknesses of the company. (SWOT

Analysis)

RESEARCH METHADOLOGY
Research Design: (Theory)
Research design is an overall plan or scheme prepared by the researcher for
executing the research study. It is an important stage in the process of conducting
research as it facilitates systematic work on the research project. It is necessary as it
facilitates the smooth conduct of research. Research design may be designed as the
sequence of steps taken ahead of time to ensure that relevant data will be collected in
a way that permits objective analysis of different hypothesis formulated with respect
to the research problem. Research Design is a blue print for collection, measurement
and analysis of data. Descriptive research is used in this projects report in order to
understand the perceptions of different consumers towards Puma products and their
behaviour patterns.

Data Collection
Data Collection helps to assess the health of your process. To do so, you must
identify the key quality characteristics you will measure, how you will measure them,
and what you will do with the data you collect. Data Collection is nothing more than
planning for and obtaining useful information on key quality characteristics produced
by your process. However, simply collecting data does not ensure that you will
obtain relevant or specific enough data to tell you what is occurring in the process.

SOURCE OF DATA COLLECTION

A. PRIMARY DATA:
The primary data is the data in which the researcher collects data through various
methods like interviews, surveys and questionnaires. Primary data in this project was
collected with the help of a structured questionnaire. The sample size was of 100
respondents from Delhi NCR region.

B. SECONDARY DATA:
Secondary data is used to mainly support the primary data. Secondary data was
collected through books, annual reports, previous reports, and magazines and
literature available on Internet regarding the topic of study.
I HAVE USED PRIMARY DATA FOR MY RESEARCH PROJECT

LIMITATIONS FOR THE STUDY

 Time consuming
 Misleading information due to disinterest of respondents
 Feasibility
 Constraints in the number of methodologies that can be used
COMPANY PROFILE
Puma SE

Industry Clothing and consumer goods manufacture

Founded 1924 as Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik(registered in 1948) Founder

Rudolf Dassler
Headquarters Herzogenaurach, Germany Area served Worldwide
Key people Jochen Zeitz (Chairman)

Bjørn Gulden(CEO) Klaus Bauer(COO)

Products Footwear, sportswear, sports goods, fashion accessories Revenue
€2.972 billion (2014)
Number of employees 10,830 (average, 2014)[2] Parent Kering
Website www.puma.com
Puma SE, officially branded as PUMA, is a major German multinational company
that produces athletic shoes, footwear, and other sportswear. The company was
formed in 1924 as Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik by Adolf and Rudolf Dassler. The
relationship between the two brothers deteriorated until the two agreed to split in
1948, forming two separate entities, Adidas and Puma. Both companies are currently
based in Herzogenaurach , Germany.
Puma is known for its football shoes and has sponsored acclaimed footballers,
including Pelé, Eusébio, Johan Cruijff, Enzo Francescoli, Diego Maradona, Lothar
Matthäus, Kenny Dalglish
The company offers lines of shoes and sports clothing designed by Lamine Kouyate,
Amy Garbers, and others. Since 1996 Puma has intensified its activities in the United
States. Puma owns 25% of American brand sports clothing maker Logo Athletic,
which is licensed by American professional basketball and association football
leagues. Since 2007 Puma SE has been part of the French luxury group PPR.
Outstanding performances of PUMA athletes and teams have strongly influenced
international sports through innovative PUMA products and creative marketing
initiatives for more than 60 years.
Milestones in PUMA’s sports history were the development of the first football boot
with screw-in studs in 1952 by the company’s founder Rudolf Dassler, the legendary
“two-stripe” jersey of Johan Cruyff at the world championship in 1974, the PUMA
contact lenses of Linford Christie in 1996, the skin-tight Catsuit tennis dress of
Serena Williams at the US Open 2002, the revolutionary one-piece Cameroon
football shirt in 2004, the Italian national team winning the Football World Cup in
2006, Ferrari with its seven-times world champion, most successful Formula 1 pilot
and PUMA partner Michael Schumacher, who dominated the sports for years, the
world records of sprint hero Usain Bolt as well as the Volvo Ocean Race, “the
Everest of Sailing” that PUMA’s eye-catching sailing yacht il mostro finished in
second place in 2009.
Through creativity and innovative products PUMA has always set standards in sports
and style. Partnerships with federations such as Jamaica, Italy and in Africa provided
the brand with the opportunity to lead the way in creative and innovative global
sports marketing. PUMA was not only able to strengthen its positioning as a sports
lifestyle brand, but created a whole new market by establishing the segment sports
lifestyle.

EVOLUTION OF LOGO
1924: Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik

1948: patented logo PUMA

The logo with the jumping cat as the product range is extended to include not only
shoes but also sportswear.
HISTORY
In 1924, Rudolf Dassler and his brother Adolf founded the shoe factory “ Gebrüder
Dassler Schuhfabrik” in Herzogenaurach , Germany.

1924
First successes: At the Olympic Summer Games in Amsterdam in 1928, a majority of
the German athletes wear Dassler spikes. In 1936, Jesse Owens wins four gold
medals at the Olympic Games in Berlin sporting Dassler spikes. Overall, seven gold
medals and five bronze medals are won by world class athletes in Dassler shoes and
two World and five Olympic records are smashed. This represents the international
breakthrough for the Dassler brothers.

1948
Rudolf Dassler founds the PUMA Schuhfabrik Rudolf Dassler. The company is
officially registered on October 1, 1948. The existing business assets of the
“Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik” are divided up between the brothers.In the same
year, PUMA’s first football boot, the “ATOM”, is launched.

1950
Rudolf Dassler successfully develops a football boot with screw-in studs in
collaboration with experts, such as West Germany’s national coach Sepp Herberger.
The launch of the “SUPER ATOM” in 1952, the world’s first boot with screw-in
studs.
In 1953, The successor of the screw-in football boot “SUPER ATOM” is coming to
the market: the enhanced version “BRASIL” is being developed and tested. In 1957,
Rudolf Dassler introduces a sans-serif PUMA typeface, designing a word and picture
logo at the same time. One year later, the second brand logo is patented.

1960s
In 1966, at the World Cup in England, the new and now legendary PUMA KING
football boots are sported by Portuguese superstar Eusebio . The logo with the
jumping cat, today one the most famous trademarks worldwide, is created by Lutz
Backes,

Pelé, for the second time in a row, wins the World Cup in Chile with his team in
PUMA boots and is named “Best Player of the Tournament”. The “Sacramento”
brush spike amazes with its innovative brush soles.

1970s
In 1970, Brazilian football star Pelé helper Brazil to win WorldCup in Mexico
wearing Puma football boots. The next major success came in 1985 when Germany’s
Boris Becker won Wimbledon using Puma products.

The company goes public as “PUMA AG” and the PUMA stock is traded on the
Munich and Frankfurt stock exchanges. By the end of the eighties, Puma was an
“economic basket case” sold in big department stores for very little money. Puma
had lost itself in the mass market and was still producing in Germany.

1993
Jochen Zeitz is appointed CEO at the age of 30, becoming the youngest Chairman in
German history to head a public company. Zeitz spearheads the restructuring of
PUMA, in financial difficulties at the time, and manages to turn it from a low price
brand into a premium Sportlifestyle company and one of the top three brands in the
sporting goods industry.

2007
The PPR group (named Kering as of 2013) – a world leader in apparel and
accessories – acquires over 60% of PUMA’s shares. The consolidation strengthens
PUMA’s position and creates a perfect platform for the continued global expansion
of the company.
2011

PUMA transforms into a European Corporation and trades under the name of PUMA
SE. With the completion of the transformation, Franz Koch becomes Chief Executive
Officer and succeeds Jochen Zeitz after 18 years as Chairman and CEO of PUMA
AG.

2013

The Administrative Board of PUMA SE appoints Norwegian Bjørn Gulden as new

Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective 1 July 2013. PUMA signs International
Icon Mario Balotelli., sporting sensation, to join PUMA’s family of star players and
athletes that includes Usain Bolt, Sergio Agüero, Cesc Fàbregas, Marco Reus,
Radamel Falcao and Rickie Fowler.

BUSINESS UNITS

At PUMA, they offer performance as well as sport style products across six Business
Units. The Business Units are comprised of Team sport, Running and Training, and
Golf, which represent our Performance business; as well as Motorsport,
Fundamentals and Sport style and Accessories and Licensing.
PUMA’s team sport business focuses on regaining credibility in sports performance,
in particular through football. PUMA continues to excel with new and exciting
product innovations. In January 2014, PUMA launched its most innovative football
boot to date, the evoPOWER.
RUNNING & TRAINING

PUMA has had a heavy impact in the running industry through numerous stories that
tell of records and innovation. PUMA has had an extensive portfolio of Track and
Field legends through the years including European Gold Medalist, Heinz Fütterer;
Armin Hary; Olympic medalist, Linford Christie; multi-medalist, Marlene Ottey;
record breaker, Evelyn Ashford; World Record holder, Wilson Kipketer and today,
the World’s Fastest Man, Usain Bolt.

GOLF

In the Golf Business Unit, they continue to bring their message of Game Enjoyment
to life. Cobra Golf, founded in 1973, is one of the world’s most renowned golf club
manufacturers. In 2010, PUMA purchased Cobra, and created COBRA PUMA
GOLF.
MOTORSPORT

Since the end of the last century, PUMA has been designing and creating
footwear and apparel for top motorsport racing teams and drivers.

FUNDAMENTALS & SPORTSTYLE

Fundamentals provide the consumers with a comprehensive basis for their

wardrobes, including the Kids, Beach- and Swimwear collections, while PUMA’s
Sportstyle Business exemplifies how they influence and shape culture and lifestyle
through the lens of sports under the “Forever Faster” brand platform.
ACCESSORIES & LICENSING

Accessories and Licensing

PUMA’s accessories round off the collections of the other Business Units in order to
build strong, comprehensive packages and to create a complete look. This unit
focuses on brand enhancement, concentrating on four key categories to support the
core business: Fragrances and Bodycare, Glasses (optical and sunglasses), Watches
and Security Boots.

SPONSORSHIP

Puma is a sponsor of sporting events and identities in Germany and internationally.

The company sponsors numerous footballers and national football teams. Puma is the
sponsor of a number of Bundesliga clubs, most notably Bo Russia Dortmund and
VfB Stuttgart. In Scotland, Hibernian FC kits are made by Puma.

In Australian Rules Football, Puma has long-standing marketing relationships with

the Hawthorn Hawks and West Coast Eagles. Puma has been Hawthorn's apparel
sponsor since the 1980s, the club's most successful era.

In cricket, Puma is the official apparel sponsor for the Deccan Chargers (representing
the city of Hyderabad), and Rajasthan Royals (representing the city of Jaipur) in the
Indian Premier League. International cricketers such as Yuvraj Singh (India), Craig
Kieswetter (England), Adam Gilchrist (Australia) and Brendon McCullum (New
Zealand) endorse the brand, and use the brand's cricket gear.

In Rugby Union, Puma entered an eight-year contract as official apparel sponsor of

the Irish Rugby team since the beginning of season 2009–10.[44] Puma supplies the
team kit, replica kit, and training equipment. Puma also sponsor English premiership
side Bath Rugby.

In track and field Puma is best known as the sponsor of Usain Bolt and the Jamaica
athletics team. Puma is also a sponsor of the web show The Legion of Extraordinary
Dancers.
INNOVATIVE PROMOTION STRATEGIES

At the World Cup in Germany, Johan Cruyff refuses to play in a different outfit as he
feels closely connected to the brand. So a custom-made design is made for him,
featuring only two stripes. A legend is born.At the Olympic Games in Atlanta,
PUMA causes a stir with a creative contact lens campaign: at a press conference
prior to the Games, Linford Christie appears with a white PUMA cat on top of his
pupils in 1996.

.
In 2002, PUMA and Serena Williams unveil the “Serena Williams Tennis
Collection”. In the same year, she causes a stir worldwide in her skintight “Catsuit”
and wins at Wimbledon

In 2004, the “Indomitable Lions” follow up with their equally controversial one-
piece PUMA UniQT, which removed unnecessary bulk and limited shirt-grabs by
opponents. FIFA punishes the team by revoking six points in the qualification for the
2006 World Cup and imposes a fine

PUMA sets sail for the first time by entering its own sailing yacht “il mostro” into
one of the longest and most difficult sailing races in the world – the Volvo Ocean
Race in 2008
CURRENT MARKETING STRATEGY

In 2013, PUMA’s CEO Bjørn Gulden introduced PUMA’s new mission statement:
To be the Fastest Sports Brand in the world. The company’s mission not only reflects
PUMA’s new
brand positioning of being Forever Faster, it also serves as the guiding principle for
the company expressed through all of its actions and decisions. Our objective is to be
fast in reacting to new trends, fast in bringing new innovations to the market, fast in
decision making and fast in solving problems for our partners.
Our strategy encompasses five strategic priorities: the repositioning of PUMA as the
World’s Fastest Sports Brand, the improvement of our product engine, the
optimization of our distribution quality, increasing the speed within
ourorganization and infrastructure, and renewing our IT infrastructure.
MARKETING STRATEGIES IN INDIA

Puma is one of the biggest international shoe brands in the world in the leagues of
Nike, Reebok and Adidas. Puma India was set up in 2005 and this was an advantage
for it as the German brand became one of the first international shoe brands in the
country.

Puma has always gone for a subtle branding and communication strategy to target its
customers in the age groups 16-25 years – the ones who use their products the
highest.
Rather than go overboard with TV, Billboard or print advertising, Puma has always
concentrated on digital as well as in – store branding and retailing. Positive word of
mouth from satisfied customers is what Puma has always tried to achieve as its main
communication strategy as this purchase is a high involvement category.
Puma’s strategy is built on left brained communication as it explains the concept of
the brand at a level from which one can form opinions and conclusions. This gives an
option for a person to be judgemental / non – judgemental.

Puma desires to be the brand for people who want something to show off as a status
symbol or to satisfy their esteem needs. Early adopters would leave a brand they
consider as desirable if it starts appearing anywhere and everywhere.
Rather than specially placing a product by its name in a movie, Puma India
concentrates on building attention or awareness about the brand without mentioning
the name. Since the brand appeals to fashion as well as sports conscious individuals,
it strongly relies on digital advertising.

MARKETING MIX

Puma as a brand is committed to contribute to the sports world by supporting

sustainability, peace and creativity. And staying true to its values has made the
company a global force. However, this is not the only reason why the company has
recorded such a huge success. Its excellent marketing strategy has seen to it that it
continues to be a global leader in athletic shoe making. Apart from this it has also
forayed into manufacturing of sports gear, watches and other accessories.
Product
Puma has a wide range of footwear, sports goods, and sportswear and fashion
accessories. Puma is also the main producer of enthusiast driving shoes and race
suits. As matter of fact, the company is the sole produce of NASCAR and Formula 1.
In addition to that, the company has partnership with BMW and Ferrari.
Through its collaboration with renowned designers such as Alexander McQueen,
Rossi and Yasuhiro Milharaand, Puma has established itself as a reliable brand that
can be depended upon to offer quality products. Specifically, the company produces
the following products
 Sports shoes
 Custom made shoes
 Apparels
 Fancy shoes
 T shirts
 Tracks
 Boxers accessories
 Gloves
 Helmets
 Water bottles
Puma uses national brand ambassadors to promote its product line. Product
diversification strategies include production of gymnasium equipment, trekking
equipment and Nutrition and Fitness consultancy. Product diversification strategy is
designed to make the company more profitable and attract a diversified customer
base.
Promotion
The company’s advertisement strategy in India focuses more on revenue generation
from cricketing equipment and sponsoring Ranji trophy. But the company also
spends a lot of money advertising in print media and designing creative billboards.
Also, there is a greater focus on football gear revenue.
Other advertising strategies include the following
 Television commercials
 Online customization options
 Excellent apparel packaging
 Engaging in corporate social responsibility like environmental pollution control
Sales promotion is also another marketing strategy employed by Puma and this
comprises of various short- term incentives that encourage more purchases and trials
of the products.
The following celebrities have endorsed puma as a brand
 Badminton- Saina Nehwal
 Tennis Gears- Somdev Devramman
 Cricket Equipment- Gautam Gambhir
 Health Academy- Shilpa Shetty
Puma is also playing its public relations game well. For instance, the company
sponsors trophies in order to promote and protect its image.

Place in the marketing mix of Puma

Puma shoes are mostly distributed to multibrand storefronts as well as the exclusive
Puma stores that can be found in major cities in the world. This necessitates a wider
selection of shoes and accessories to customers than the competition. With big
distribution network coupled with harnessing resources and experience, it is a brand
available almost everywhere.
Also, Puma is continuously focusing on retail expansion as can be seen with its
aggressive opening of new stores in various countries throughout the world. This is
not only meant to bring the products closer to the consumer but also drive its brand
and generate profits. As a matter of fact, Puma has vowed to continue to expand its
consumer base and full integrate its retail stores online.

Pricing in the marketing mix of Puma

Puma’s product prices are affordable when compared to higher priced competitors
like Reebok and Adidas. The pricing strategy employed is designed to offer
competition to its rival companies. Moreover, Puma normally uses premium pricing
strategy because Puma views its brand as premium. Thus, Puma will be higher priced
when compared to a competitor like Bata. Adidas and Reebok are the only closest
competitors for Puma, pricing of whom is comparatively higher than Puma. Due to
the brand name it enjoys, the pricing of Puma products look convincing most of the
times.

FUTURE PLAN

Determination that everyone in the company understands and embraces the company
values, as well as benefits from the experience and integrity of their colleagues. Only
with self-belief will individuals have the confidence to make things happen, take the tough
decisions and realize their ambitions for themselves and, ultimately, for the business.
VISION AND MISSION

MISSION STATEMENT

At PUMA, we believe that our position as the creative leader in Sport lifestyle gives
us the opportunity and the responsibility to contribute to a better world for the
generations to come. A better world in our vision— PUMA Vision—would be safer,
more peaceful, and more creative than the world we know today. The 4Keys is the
tool we have developed to help us stay true to PUMA Vision, and we use it by
constantly asking ourselves if we are being Fair, Honest, Positive, and Creative in
everything we do. We believe that by staying true to our values, inspiring the passion
and talent of our people, working in sustainable, innovative ways, and doing our best
to be Fair, Honest, Positive, and Creative, we will keep on making the products our
customers love, and at the same time bring that vision of a better world a little closer
every day. To make PUMA, the dominant company in Indian footwear’s industry.
This we hope to achieve by:
Understanding the needs of customers and offering them superior products and
service Leveraging technology to service customers quickly, efficiently and
conveniently Developing and implementing superior risk management and
investment strategies to offer sustainable and stable returns to our policyholders
Providing an enabling environment to foster growth and learning for our employees
And above all, building transparency in all our dealings
The success of the company will be founded in its unflinching commitment to 5 core
values -- Integrity, Customer First, Boundaryless, Ownership and Passion. Each of
the values describe what the company stands for, the qualities of our people and the
way we work.

We do believe that we are on the threshold of an exciting new opportunity, where we

can play a significant role in redefining and reshaping the sector. Given the quality of
our parentage and the commitment of our team, there are no limits to our growth.

The following report describes and analyses Puma business's generic and distinctive
marketing strategies, as well as providing accurate industry, competitor, market, and
SWOT analysis'. Evaluation of Puma business’s marketing strategy is conducted,
thus analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the strategy.
Lastly the report recommends probable future courses of actions obtainable to Puma
business, in order to get better profits and stop mistakes in the future.

 Background:According to the company’s annual report “The Puma business

was originally founded by legend fashion designers who first patented a disinfectant
fashion in France which is still marketed today as Puma Fluid. Puma was granted the
Royal Warrant in France and is still a proud supplier to the Royal Household”.

If we analyzed then we come to know that Puma be familiar with that ultimately the
consumer buys products which solve consumer desires and requirements. These
desires repeatedly expand and it is vital that products are developed to assemble
these requirements. Puma has two research & growth centres in France and the UK
where the solitary focal point is to produce ground-breaking new products.
INDUSTRY ANALYSIS

Puma is in the department store/large retailer industry, an industry that has very high
levels of competition. Although this industry is extremely competitive and growing
at a fast pace in India, it is still not as large as the department store industry
elsewhere in the world, such as the USA. This is partly due to the fact that there are
boundaries in this industry, particularly in India, as there are few retail stores that can
classify themselves as large department retail stores. Puma is a very competitive and
key participant in this industry, as it is both a producer and a seller. The large retailer
industry can be very volatile due to the impact the environment has on its
participants.

COMPETITOR ANALYSIS

The main competitors of Puma stores are middle- upper class department stores that
stock a wide variety of products. Competition mainly comes in the form of premium
positioned stores in the high-class category such as Adidas and Reebok. In India, the
local competition would come from Bata and Liberty, which are both fashionable
stores that offer alike products at a competitive price.

The main problem faced by Puma, as faced by all other high-class sports brands is
competitive pricing. The lead competitor in terms of pricing in Reebok which has
made a comeback in the Indian markets. Puma has experienced a slight fall in the
competition in this industry sector. On the other hand the middle class sector of the
industry is still highly competitive, with the likes of main rivals Bata and liberty,
which cater to a large middle and lower class population, insuring the need for
regular in-store monitoring and maintenance.

MARKET ANALYSIS

Puma main customer base, thus their main target market; are predominantly female.
As the products are of best standing, i.e. premium pricing and brand categories; the
market is customer based, not demand-based. The products fulfill wants and desires
based on image, not needs Puma’s main strategy involves fashion sportswear as it
continues to collaborate with major designers and become a leading sports lifestyle
brand. Customers seek the product and service benefits of the image of Puma. In the
Indian market, Puma strives to be a status symbol and appeal to the worldly mindset
of the people which gives it an edge. Geographically speaking, the market for large
department store such as Puma is mainly concentrated in large shopping centers. In a
large shopping center or downtown shopping district, the market is strong, with good
profit potential.

Department stores positioned as premium are hard to imitate and start because they
are built on the prestige of the brand.

Puma is the main producer of enthusiast driving shoes and race suits. They are the
primary producer for Formula One and NASCAR clothing. They won the rights to
sponsor the 2006 FIFA World Cup champions, the Italian national football team,
making and sponsoring the clothing worn by the team. They entered a partnership
with Ferrari, Ducati and BMW to make Puma-Ferrari, Puma-Ducati and Puma-BMW
shoes. On 15 March 2007 Puma launched its 2007/2008 line of uniforms for a club,
and Brazilian football club Grêmio will be the first to use the laser-sewn technology,
similar to that worn by Italy at the 2006 World Cup, because their season starts six
months earlier than European clubs

Puma bags are widely sold around the world

PUMA SHOES and unconventional designs inspirations, McQueen is the perfect
match for PUMA: Together we take on the challenge to successfully combine
different trends in sports ,fashion as well as sport history and technology into unique
collections which convince through their distinctive style. For instance, McQueen´s
footwear collection is inspired by the anatomy of the foot, perfectly unifying
elegance with an extraordinary design as well as comfort and functionality .Mihara
The Japanese designer Yashuhiro Mihara aims to fuse sport and fashion with
innovative creations and intends to deliberately break boundaries.
Mihara shoes feature a sportive-avant-garde design and the slogan of his collection is
called "out of sports, out of fashion", a sure hint that his shoes are neither trainers nor
leather shoes.

Rudolf Dassler Schuhfabrik

The "Rudolf Dassler Schuhfabrik" collection is inspired by the timelessness that is

sports and its character is stamped by the influence of cultural styles such as Cubism
and Bauhaus, Dadaism and Jazz, Modernism and Avant-garde. With its natural and
puristic style the collection takes us back down memory lane to the unforgettable
hours of major sport events. The Dassler collection is provocative and modern, going
back to the origin of sports and with its name remembering the founder of PUMA,
Rudolf Dassler.

PUMA - The Black Label

PUMA - The Black Label footwear is an authentic sport-fashion collection featuring

modern interpretations of PUMA iconic sneakers with fashion-forward shapes that
fuse form and function. The Black Label styles are truly innovative, urban and
versatile and they combine performance elements with fashion trends
 SWOT ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS
 PUMA is very innovative and has a very rich Research and
Development team. The Company produced the first screw boots for
football and “Mexico 68” with the innovative brush soles, which
were the most comfortable running shoes
 Strengths of PUMA are that it is an established brand in
over 90 countries, and is a very popular, well-known brand
throughout the world. This means that they have a huge target
audience. Their famous logo with the jumping cat is today one of the
most famous trademarks worldwide. Their extensive product range,
from world class football boots to casual hoodies, helps to reach a
wide audience and therefore they can reach a large target audience.
 The brand has excellent management and marketing
strategies and has the advertised the products very well and eye-
catching throughout the world.
 PUMA sponsor many top athletes, as said in previous posts,
such as the world-record-holding athlete: Usain Bolt. For them this
provides major funding as it means that their brand is on show to the
world and it must therefore be a good brand if top athletes are using
their products. This boosts customer appeal as it acts as a walking
advertisement. They were also the official sponsor of the FIFA
World Cup in 2006, which again is advertisement to the whole world.
 PUMA’s products, in particular their football boots have
been creatively and innovatively made through advancements in
technology. For example, in the 60s, they were the first sports shoe to
use the vulcanization production technique. Today, they use careful
study of biomechanics and zoning which leads to the use of specific
material and construction in specific areas of the foot in their football
boots

27
WEAKNESSES
 PUMA has tough competition, and limited market share,
from large companies such as Nike and Adidas who are in the same
market.
 They have less financial strength compared to other brands
in the industry meaning that they may not be able to invest in new
products or technologies where others might


OPPORTUNITIES
 The company can attain more sponsorship as more
international events in the sporting industry are taking place.
 The company can start entering the lifestyle section of the
industry.

THREATS
 The current economic situation is very bleak, hence
expansion is minimal.
 There is extensive completion from existing players an new
players which is growing in the industry
Imitations or fakes of the brand are extensively increasing

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Questionnaire

*Required
Name of Respondent

What is the age group of respondant ? *

15 or less
15-30
30-45
45 above

What is the occupation of respondent? *

Student
Business
Professional

Gender of respondent. *

o Male
o Female

Which sports brand do you prefer ? *

o PUMA
o Reebok
o Adidas
o Nike
o Other:

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Have you used PUMA products before ? *

o yes
o no
Which products manufactured by PUMA have you tried?

o Shoes
o Apparel
o Watches
o Fragrances
o other equipment

Rate the quality of PUMA products. *

12 3 4 5

very poor excellent

What do you think about the pricing of the products? *

o Cheap
o Fairly Priced
o Expensive

Do you feel PUMA products are easily available ? *

o Yes
o No

Where would you prefer to buy PUMA products ? *

o At a company outlet

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o On-line stores
o local stores

To you using branded sportsgear is a matter of *

o status
o comfort
o quality
o fashion and trend

31