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  • PUMA offers green holiday shopping, introducing advanced store Air Quality solutions

    PUMA offers green holiday shopping, introducing advanced store Air Quality solutions

    Mumbai: In a pioneering move for the Indian retail industry, sports brand PUMA India has ushered in a new era of sustainable shopping experience for its customers this festive season. The brand has deployed an Internet of Things (IoT) solution across its stores to maintain improved indoor air quality (IAQ). Shoppers can now step into a PUMA India store anytime to breathe healthier, safer, more efficient indoor air.

    PUMA’s pilot phase saw five stores receive Air Quality (AQ) certifications from the accredited Indian testing lab NABL (Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories), endorsing the program’s effectiveness. The selection criteria of these stores were solely based on AQ statistics, to ensure that the initiative’s benefits extend to diverse regions. An additional 80 stores are in the pipeline to receive IAQ certification, representing PUMA’s commitment to providing a great in-store experience for shoppers.

    The innovative IoT solution of hardware and software connects the store’s electro-mechanical equipment to a central database, enabling real-time energy consumption and IAQ monitoring. The solution operates by continuously collecting and analysing data, controlling equipment operations and providing actionable insights that empower store managers to take actions to optimise energy usage and maintain improved air quality within their retail space. The transformative technology is not just about improving store operations; it’s also about the brand’s commitment to climate action.

    “Our continued investment in technology is a reflection of our commitment to being at the forefront of operating smart and sustainable PUMA retail outlets in the country,” said PUMA India executive director retail Vishal Gupta. “As a brand, PUMA is constantly looking for opportunities to create new experiences for its customers. We are working with the best solutions available to deliver a state-of-the-art shopping experience and improved indoor air quality in the stores for customers this festive season,” he added.

    PUMA is also the first brand in India to deploy this advanced technology across its stores, marking a significant milestone in the country’s retail landscape. As the retail industry grapples with its environmental footprint, PUMA has provided a roadmap towards a greener, cleaner and more responsible shopping environment for customers through this initiative.

    The brand collaborated with EcoEnergy Insights to implement the IoT-enabled solution across the company’s flagship stores in India. EcoEnergy Insights, part of Carrier Global Corporation, is a leading provider of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and IoT-enabled solutions and services. Currently, EcoEnergy Insights provides services to over 55,000 sites globally and in India, supporting its customers in managing energy consumption in their areas in over 600 cities.

    “We are proud to provide IoT technology to PUMA to enhance the in-store experience while helping reduce the stores’ carbon footprint. This is a pioneering programme in sportswear retail in India and we are fully committed to enabling PUMA with the best IoT technology to drive additional value levers like efficient store design and reduced lifecycle asset costs,” said, EcoEnergy Insights general manager, sales, HAPS Dhillon. 

  • Agilitas Sports acquires India’s BIS-Licensed Mochiko shoes

    Agilitas Sports acquires India’s BIS-Licensed Mochiko shoes

    Mumbai: Agilitas Sports, innovation-led sportswear and Athleisure solutions platform, co-founded by Abhishek Ganguly, ex-MD, Puma (India & South-East Asia), has in a significant move, announced the acquisition of Mochiko Shoes Pvt Ltd, India’s largest sports footwear manufacturer for the domestic market.

    “This acquisition augments Agilitas’ value proposition, by strengthening our supply chain in the rapidly growing sports footwear market. Mochiko’s manufacturing capabilities, operational excellence and strategic partnerships with leading global giants position us to address the government’s clarion call to ‘Make in India’, and to cater to the rising aspirations of an economic superpower, with the largest youth population”, said Agilitas Sports CEO & co-founder Abhishek Ganguly.

    Established in 2008, by Virender Awal and a co-founding team of five members, Mochiko Shoes registered a revenue of Rs 642 crore in FY2023 and is estimated to grow by 30 per cent, year-on-year (Y-o-Y).

    Mochiko Shoes Pvt. Ltd. founder & CEO Virender Awal spoke about the acquisition, “Joining the Agilitas family propels our ambitions. We are now poised to enhance long-term investments, addressing the soaring demand in the Sports and Athleisure footwear sector. We envision multi-fold and multifaceted growth in our business over the next five-six years, adding jobs and livelihood.”

    Today, Mochiko Shoes is a manufacturing partner to leading international brands, such as Adidas, Puma, New Balance, Skechers, Reebok, Asics, Crocs, Decathlon, Clarks, US Polo, among others.

    With fully integrated, end-to-end manufacturing capabilities, Mochiko is the first sports footwear manufacturer in India to receive a BIS licence, and is fully compliant with the soon-to-be-implemented Quality Control Orders (QCOs), by the Government of India. Additionally, all its units are ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 certified.

    The company has manufacturing units located in Dehradun and Rishikesh (Uttarakhand) as well as in the National Capital Region (NCR), of Noida. Mochiko employs nearly 10,000 individuals, across the length and breadth of its operations.

    The founding team of Agilitas Sports comprises Abhishek Ganguly, the former Managing Director of PUMA India and South East Asia, Atul Bajaj, the former executive director of sales and operations of PUMA India, and Amit Prabhu, former executive director and chief financial officer of PUMA India.

  • Valencia CF and PUMA transform the city’s bus shelters into replicas of Mestalla

    Valencia CF and PUMA transform the city’s bus shelters into replicas of Mestalla

    Mumbai: Thanks to one of the most innovative marketing campaigns of the summer, residents of the city of Valencia have become very aware of the launch of the new Valencia CF home and away kits for the 2023/24 LALIGA EA SPORTS season. The club collaborated with the city and with Puma, its official kit supplier, to transform a number of bus stops and to make them Mestalla-themed.

    The walls and roofs of the selected bus shelters were decorated to make these bus stops look and feel like the stands of Mestalla, complete with seats like the ones in the stadium’s stands. The 2023/24 Valencia CF kits were also displayed at these bus stops, with lights even highlighting the new designs at nighttime.

    The initiative came about thanks to PUMA’s close collaboration with the club. As the kit manufacturer explained: “Each season’s launch of the new Valencia CF kits is planned with several objectives in mind: to present the new kits to Valencia CF fans in an original, different and eye-catching way, connecting sentimentally and emotionally; to maximise the visibility of these kits with actions that have great repercussion and impact at a local level, trying to integrate the fans in some way into that experience so that they become part of it; and to get involved with the club, the city, its people and its traditions and customs. We believe that the sum of all these points helps to improve the perception of the new kits and increase the willingness to acquire them.”

    The fans of the club were definitely made to feel involved, while men’s team player Thierry Rendall and women’s team player Marta Carro also visited one of the Valencia CF-themed bus shelters to enjoy the unique experience. Discussing the initiative, Thierry Rendall said: “I think it’s a very good idea, as the fans can feel like they’re at Mestalla, even inside the dressing room as if they were players.”

    In the words of the club: “Bringing Valencia CF out of the stadium with this marketing campaign and into moments in our fans’ daily lives, such as waiting for the bus or taking a walk through the city centre and finding a representation of Mestalla, is something that reinforces our emotional connection with the fans. It’s a shot of identification.”

    The club continued: “The same reaction that we saw in Thierry Rendall and Marta Carro when they saw the themed bus stops is what we’ve noticed in our fans and also in the tourists who visit Valencia at this time of year. They can enjoy an exciting and different experience while discovering all the secrets of our jerseys, which are on display at the bus stops. The action has been very well received in the media, giving great exposure to the club and PUMA, as well as among our fans.”

    Valencia CF and PUMA: A partnership based on constant collaboration

    This is simply the latest example of Valencia CF and PUMA working together to ensure fans of Los Che know about and are excited about the arrival of the new kit. In previous years, they’ve organised other street marketing campaigns, such as placing giant replica shirts around the city or organising photo machines with QR codes to allow fans to download an image of themselves wearing the new shirt. Last season, they even worked together on a New York streetstyle photo shoot in front of some of the most iconic landmarks of the Big Apple, making an impact in that international market.

    On the partnership, the club said: “Every year, together with PUMA, we carry out actions that usually involve the DNA and life of the city to present our shirts. This season they have very strong narratives: a tribute to the Mediterranean lifestyle (Home Kit); a concept of design, creativity and the future projection of our city (Away Kit); and a nod to the streets of the city of Valencia with a representation of the neighbourhood that surrounds Mestalla (Third Kit). We feel that the street marketing campaign of Valencia CF and PUMA is more and more appreciated each year, achieving greater identification from our fans.”

    It’s not just in summer at the time of the kit launch that the marketing departments of Valencia CF and PUMA work together. “The connection and work with PUMA is daily, so that the garments made for the club, the stores and all the merchandising breathe the VCF identity,” the club’s marketing and commercial director Jorge García pointed out.

    The club added: “Our way of working is based on fortnightly meetings, and thanks to a consolidated dynamic between both teams. Working with technical brands on a long-term basis – we’ve been with PUMA for five seasons and are building a great relationship – allows clubs to share with them the club values and culture, which leads to fans perceiving the stores as spaces where the shopping experience is very emotional.”

    By converting daily spaces such as bus stops into another source of pride for Valencia CF supporters, the club has certainly made an emotional impact with its fanbase with this year’s kit launch.

  • Puma becomes official kit partner of Revenant Esports in India

    Puma becomes official kit partner of Revenant Esports in India

    Mumbai: Homegrown esports organisation, Revenant Esports, has announced sports brand Puma as their official kit partner for the upcoming season. This association came as one of the major non-endemic brand collaborations in the Indian esports industry. Under the terms of the partnership, Revenant’s creators and esports roster will don the exclusive kits produced by Puma.

    With both brands sharing similar ideologies in terms of propelling esports to greater heights, they will leverage this association to make their presence felt among the community in India, said the company in a statement.

    “Puma is one of the most successful sports brands in the world and it makes us extremely proud to be the first esports team in India to be associated with them. This partnership is a step in the right direction for Revenant Esports and a testament to our aim of enriching the experience of the community and our fans. Esports merchandise has become an integral part of the industry in the last few years, and seeing our athletes, creators, and fans wear the apparel produced by one of the world’s best is a privilege. Together, we hope to achieve immense success in the coming years and capitalise on the growing esports culture in the country,” said Revenant Esports founder and CEO Rohit Jagasia. 

    Puma has emerged as one of the top sports brands in India after generating record revenues last year and is also familiar with the esports industry, having partnered with numerous international organisations. By joining forces with Revenant Esports and their massive fanbase, they will look to maximise their potential in the Indian esports market.

    Commenting on the occasion, Puma India executive director-retail Vishal Gupta said, “We are extremely excited to be associated with Revenant Esports as their official kit partner and become the first leading sportswear brand in the country to enter the deeply engaging space of esports. India is one of the biggest markets for the video gaming community and competitive esports is immensely influencing our youth across tiers.”

    “That esports gets incorporated as a medal sport into the Asian Games next year is evidence of its huge popularity & potential today. As a brand, Puma strongly supports influences on youth culture such as sports, fitness, art, cinema, music, and now new age sports, i.e., esports. With this association, Puma & Revenant will leverage each other’s huge audience base and wide reach to connect with esports athletes in the country and penetrate deeper into the market,” he further added.

    According to the recent Ficci-EY report, 100 brands have invested in Indian esports this year, compared to 72 in 2021. Similar to traditional sports, esports merchandise is an essential part of any organisation’s growth in the industry by raising brand awareness and cultivating fan loyalty among their ardent following.

  • Puma partners with Indian popstar Harrdy Sandhu to strengthen youth culture

    Puma partners with Indian popstar Harrdy Sandhu to strengthen youth culture

    Mumbai: Puma India has partnered with popular Indian singer Harrdy Sandhu. The new association comes as part of Puma’s decisive commitment towards connecting with youth culture and strengthening the brand’s geographical relevance.

    With this, Harrdy joins Puma’s roster of ambassadors such as Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Yuvraj Singh, MC Mary Kom, Avani Lekhara, and Dutee Chand.

    Under the partnership, Harrdy will engage with Puma’s large base of customers and create exclusive content poised to further cement the brand’s market leadership position in India. He will endorse the brand’s footwear, apparel, and accessories, including select collections.

    Speaking of the association, Harrdy Sandhu said, “I am extremely excited about my association with Puma, a brand known for being at the forefront of all things sports and lifestyle. Puma is the No. 1 sports brand in the country and drives the sports and lifestyle choices of millions of people, which keeps me updated on the latest lifestyle trends. This is an extremely valuable association for me, and I am looking forward to everything Puma and I have planned this year.”

    Commenting on the association, Puma India & Southeast Asia managing director Abhishek Ganguly said, “We are happy to have Harrdy Sandhu in the Puma family. Harrdy has been a good friend of Puma, and we have now combined this friendship into a partnership. As a brand, Puma has a strong commitment towards influences on culture. We want to connect and influence our target consumers through all forms of culture, such as art, music, and cinema, along with sports. India is a music-loving nation and hence it is an important part of our dialogue in the country. This confluence of music, culture, and sports makes Harrdy a perfect brand-fit and we are confident of a deeper engagement with India’s huge youth cohort with this partnership with him.”

  • Puma teams up with Royal Challengers Bangalore to launch athleisure range

    Puma teams up with Royal Challengers Bangalore to launch athleisure range

    Mumbai: Global sports brand Puma has partnered with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to launch an all-new athleisure range.

    Having garnered huge success in the first season of the IPL, Puma has decided to further strengthen its partnership with RCB with a collection that celebrates the indomitable spirit and fierce attitude of the team, said the brand in a statement. Combining Puma’s expertise in elevated product design and RCB’s core brand values, the collection offers the team’s ardent fans unique pieces with a playful twist, it added.

    “Royal Challengers Bangalore is undoubtedly the most popular cricket team in the T20 League and enjoys an ever-increasing fandom across the country. We are really excited to partner with them for the launch of the athleisure range,” said Puma India and Southeast Asia managing director Abhishek Ganguly. “Bringing the best of both worlds, the collection leverages Puma’s design expertise and RCB’s fashionable DNA. Through an exclusive PumaxRCB range we aim to strengthen the team’s connect with its fans across the country.”

    Dropping right in time for the T20 season, the collection offers RCB fans an opportunity to showcase their passion for the team all year round by sporting merchandise that has been reimagined through a fashion lens, said the brand.

    “The launch of the athleisure collection makes RCB the only cricket team to move beyond traditional retail merchandise into the world of GenZ, millennial fashion wear,” stated vice president and head Rajesh Menon. “This collection indeed represents the evolving brand ethos of RCB in a cutting-edge streetwear, on-trend lifestyle avatar which will completely resonate with young India.”

    The collection is available at select Puma stores, on puma.com, RCB.com, and the RCB Bar & Café.

  • Dream11 & Puma team up for first athleisure collection

    Dream11 & Puma team up for first athleisure collection

    KOLKATA: Fantasy sports platform Dream11 has joined forces with the global sports brand Puma to launch its first athleisure collection in India. The two sporting powerhouses have co-created an exclusive range under the label – PumaxDream11. The merchandise assortment includes t-shirts, flip-flops and caps and will be available online on FanCode Shop, at exclusive Puma stores and Puma.com.

    With over 100 million users, Dream11 will now be able to connect with sports fans offline while tapping into the athleisure market in India, which is growing at a rate of 20-25 per cent annually. The first collection was launched just in time for IPL 2021. The collaboration also includes an autumn-winter range which will exclusively be available during the upcoming T20 World Cup hosted in India. The designs under the PumaXDream11 collection are branded under the campaign theme ‘Dream It. Own It’.

    Dream11 & Dream Sports co-founder and CEO Harsh Jain said, “We are excited to launch our first athleisure collection along with Puma, which shares our belief in making sports better for all. We are certain that this collaboration will strengthen Dream11’s offline brand affinity and loyalty. We are sure that this sporty collection will resonate with both our 100 million users and Puma brand champions.”

    Puma India and southeast Asia managing director Abhishek Ganguly added, “Dream11 and Puma share a common vision to grow the culture of sports in India. As pioneers of fantasy sports in the country, they understand the pulse of sports enthusiasts and have been powering this ecosystem by giving fans a platform to follow, track and actively engage with the game. We are happy to partner with Dream11 to launch their first athleisure collection.”

  • Washington Sundar signs on as Anker brand ambassador

    Washington Sundar signs on as Anker brand ambassador

    MUMBAI: Chinese electronics company Anker has roped in Washington Sundar as its brand ambassador. From now, Sundar will helm all major campaigns for the brand across media platforms. The cricketer is also expected to appear in his first promotional TVC for the brand very soon. 

    The partnership between Anker and Sundar will be managed by the latter’s management agency, Whiteleaf Talent. With this partnership, Anker aims to elevate the existing customer base and further reach out to the youth in the country by utilising the popularity of the Team India batsman. 

    In 2019, Anker had appointed Olympic medal-winning badminton player Saina Nehwal as its brand ambassador. 

    Anker Innovation India head Gopal Jeyaraj said, "We are excited to begin our new innings with Washington Sundar as our brand endorser. Anker’s journey has been similar to that of Washington Sundar who rose from very humble beginnings to touch cricketing heights at the International level. We feel that his persona is an excellent fit for our brand. We are looking forward to this amazing partnership and extending our best wishes to Sundar, for the ongoing IPL season." 

    Sundar said that he is happy and excited to partner with a young and dynamic brand like Anker. 

    "Anker is breaking the industry stereotypes, and is constantly evolving with innovative and stylish tech products. Through this association, I’m happy to explore my love for gadgets and extend my complete support to see them achieve new heights," he added. 

    Meanwhile, the Indian arm of German sports brand Puma has also inked a long-term partnership deal with Washington Sundar and Devdutt Padikkal. Sundar and Padikkal have now joined Puma's roster of cricketers that include Indian skipper Virat Kohli and KL Rahul. 

  • Puma returns to IPL pitch, inks multi-year partnership with RCB

    Puma returns to IPL pitch, inks multi-year partnership with RCB

    MUMBAI: After seven years, global sports brand Puma has made a comeback on the Indian Premier League pitch after signing a strategic long-term partnership with Royal Challengers Bangalore. Under the terms of the deal, Puma will be the official kit partner of the team from the upcoming IPL 2021 season. The sportswear major already has an ongoing association with RCB team captain Virat Kohli, which makes this partnership a natural progression for the brand.

    Kohli said, “A global brand with a strong sporting vision and great quality products, [Puma’s] extensive distribution network through offline and online channels will ensure fans have access to RCB merchandise across the country. Over the years, I've had a great experience working with the brand and I’m excited to see Puma extend its partnership with the team that I play for.”  

    The brand will have exclusive retailing rights to RCB’s take down and replica jerseys, adding pan-India merchandise reach for the franchise across retail and e-commerce channels. Elevating the partnership beyond a traditional sports sponsorship model, the collection will also include a fanwear range of polo tees, shorts, pants, flipflops and caps.

    Puma India & southeast Asia managing director Abhishek Ganguly said, “The team’s growing fan base and extensive social following makes RCB our ideal partner on the cricket pitch. Over the last few months, sport has had a positive influence by bringing about a sense of cheer among our consumers. With more people playing and following their favourite game, the culture of sport will definitely strengthen and evolve further. We are committed to fuelling this passion by continuing to invest in the right products, partners and players in the sporting ecosystem.”

    Royal Challengers Bangalore vice president & head Rajesh V Menon said, “RCB’s ethos is to embody the philosophy of #PlayBold and truly embrace the challenger spirit in all that we do as a cricket team, a brand and business. We are positive that with Puma’s marketing capabilities, fans will have access to not only great merchandise but also some very interesting activations and engagements through the IPL season and beyond.”

    RCB merchandise will be available at all Puma stores, on Puma.com RCB website, mobile app and the RCB Bar & Café from the first week of April.

  • Puma joins hands with NGO Parcham to fuel girls’ football dreams

    Puma joins hands with NGO Parcham to fuel girls’ football dreams

    MUMBAI: Global sportswear brand Puma has joined hands with Mumbai-based NGO Parcham to empower it in its efforts to break gender stereotypes. It aims to bolster the NGO’s  mission of inspiring women from marginalised communities of Mumbra, a small town in Thane district near Mumbai, to take up football and make it a viable career option.

    Since October 2012, Parcham has been helping women break free of prejudices and reclaim their freedom through football and now Puma will support the organisation with training gear and sports shoes that will help the Parcham girls to not only perform better on the field but also bring in a competitive edge. In addition to this, the leading sports brand will also leverage its roster of global sports partners and athletes to provide coaching sessions for Parcham’s trainers, coaches and the footballers.

    “It’s very heartening to see a global sports brand like Puma support us in our efforts to encourage more girls to play football. I truly believe sports is an equaliser and has the power to change lives. It is helping us break stereotypes about girls from Mumbra and other marginalised communities. Playing football has not just helped them build their confidence, it has also given them a new outlook and a realization of their right and love for play,” said Parcham’s Salma Ansari.

    “Sports has the ability to change lives – it is a powerful tool to challenge gender norms and stereotypes. We believe everyone should have the opportunity to play, irrespective of their gender or background. Through this association, we are looking to drive the change needed for a future where every woman and girl has equal opportunities to pursue her dreams,” said Puma India and Southeast Asia managing director Abhishek Ganguly.