"There is a fundamental shift happening in society": Puma's bold new campaign flips the script on sports advertising

Currently, there is a fundamental shift happening in society, particularly amongst generations like Gen Z. For a long time, society has been driven by a relentless pursuit of performance and perfection, amplified by social media.

However, these generations no longer want to choose between performance and enjoyment; they seek balance and want to follow their own path, in sync with their true selves. They desire immersive experiences, genuine connections, and the pure joy of sport, not just chasing stats. At PUMA, we understand this, and our 'Go Wild' campaign directly addresses this desire for sport to be a space where individuals can authentically express themselves.

To truly understand our target audience, we knew we needed to start our strategy with consumer research, which led us to undertake the largest piece of consumer research in PUMA's history, surveying over 10,000 consumers around the world.

This wasn't just about gathering data, it was about deeply understanding why people engage with sports and the different sport-style categories. This extensive research helped us to define who we are as a brand and anchor this within consumer perception. Crucially, it revealed a unique insight: what truly matters to consumers is that they can be their true selves.

This deep human truth resonated universally and had a natural connection to PUMA. The findings clearly indicated that PUMA occupies a unique and powerful space in the market where performance meets joy, and this research became the foundation for our new brand DNA and the 'Go Wild' campaign.

In a market where performance for performance's sake is often glorified, at PUMA we stand out by affirming a different vision: sport is a space for self-expression, enjoyment, and identity. We believe that being your true self is the starting point to reaching greatness and that one can only perform at their best when being true to who they really are. This has always been at the core of PUMA's identity, from legendary athletes like Tommie Smith to the modern-day champions like Usain Bolt, who embodied self-expression through sport.

Our new brand DNA, centred around the belief that greatness begins with the courage to be yourself, is not just a new strapline. We see this belief as being part of a wider societal shift that PUMA fully champions through our athletes and products. While other brands have focused solely on pushing athletic limits, PUMA recognises that new generations seek more than just self-improvement; they want an immersive experience, social connection, and enjoyment in the effort.