Creating a PUMA brand

PUMA is one of the oldest sports companies in the world. The beginning of which was the usual family quarrel between the siblings. So there were two Adidas and PUMA companies. But as the second appeared, about it below.

In 1924, a small Bavarian town of Herzogenaurach was founded by members of the Dassler family, a company called the Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory (Gebruder Dassler Schuhfabrik).

The family had two brothers - Adolf and Rudolf. The first involved in the organization of production and the creation of new models and types of shoes, and on the shoulders of the second was the task of marketing these products.

By 1925, the company is growing to such an extent that Adi decides to realize his long-standing dream. As an avid football player, he invented and sewed football boots with metal spikes, which forged a local blacksmith for him. So the first studded shoes appeared, which subsequently became quite popular.

In the near future, production will increase to such an extent that it will not stop in the courtyard adjacent to the family home. Therefore, in 1927, a whole building for the factory is leased. The staff already has 25 employees, and 100 pairs of shoes are produced per day. Later, this building is bought out by the Dassler family, and they move to live in a small house located near the factory.

A year later, some athletes first appeared in Dassler shoes at the Olympics, which took place in Amsterdam. And already in 1932, in Los Angeles, German Arthur Jonath, dressed in shoes from his brothers, won a bronze medal in a race of 100 meters. And the most successful year for the company was 1936 - at the Berlin Olympics, the black American runner Jesse Owen in the "Dassler" shoe won four gold medals.

During the games, almost every second player in the national football team walks in Dassler shoes. As a result, seven gold and five bronze medals appeared in the German team's portfolio. In addition to the athletes, two myrrh and three Olympic records were set up.

Despite all victories, understanding between brothers gradually disappears. In the spring of 1948, the brothers cursed "in the fluff and dust", so they decided to divide the family business into two parts. So Adolph named his company Adidas, and Rudolf chose as the name - PUMA. Now brothers sworn competitors - the confrontation between companies is manifested today.

This year, PUMA launches its first football boots called Atom. And already in one of the first football matches, which took place after the Second World War, several players of the national team prefer their boots from Rudolph, speaking at them in competitions.

The first victory for a sports company was marked by the 1952 year when Joseph Barthel of Luxembourg took the first Olympic gold in the run of 1500 meters. In those days the competition was held in Helsinki.

Two years later, a German record-bearer Heinz Fütterer at the Yokohama championship set a world record of 100 meters. And in 1960, again in the run on 100 meters, a gold medal is won, this time by Armin Harley.

In 1968, the portfolio of PUMA victories is replenished with four more gold medals brought by athletes from the Olympic Games in Mexico. Later, the company is organizing the production of sport shoes in greasy fasteners, becoming a pioneer in this area.

And at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, Pele acknowledged the best player. He succeeded in PUMA boots to lead his team into the Championship leaders, defeating the Italian national team.

The competitions of 1972 continued the tradition, this time at the Olympic Games in Munich, four sports gold medals were won by athletes in PUMA equipment. Among them were John Akiy-Bois (running at 400 meters with barriers), Mary Peters (Pentathlon), Klaus Volfermann (throwing a spear) and Randy Williams (jumping in length).

After a decade, Diego Maradona, in her first World Championship, takes part in PUMA boots. And in 1986, the Argentine national team led by Diego wins, having won the title of World Champions. And Maradona is awarded the "Best Player of the Championship" awards.

Three years after the public, PUMA introduced the new Trinomic shoes depreciation technology, which later became the foundation for the Cell system.

However, despite all the successes of the nineties, the company was on the verge of bankruptcy. Sales and brand building were on the second plan. The opinion of consumers on the brand was negative - they considered it inexpressible and imitative.

A 40-year-old general director named Johan Zaitz came to rescue the company. Thanks to him the PUMA course has changed, now the company is working with fashion designers and begins issuing limited series of clothes and accessories, as well as shoes. The company has been accentuated - it has moved away from the sport as a whole, and has moved to clothing for specific sports and active lifestyles.

Leadership led by Johan Saitz posed the main task to himself, namely to make the PUMA brand the most desired consumer and rather creative. And they got it.

In the middle