Number of Puma stores worldwide 2012-2013
Puma
The global sports and fitness clothing industry is highly fragmented, with many brands competing, from basic discount brands to high-end fashion names. Even well-established brands have to work hard to maintain their share of the market. Consumers are demanding more versatile wear with wider functionality, which means retailers continue producing new styles of sports apparel for men and women. In some instances, sports apparel companies, like Adidas and Puma, have begun collaborating with fashion designers in order to produce new styles which will broaden their product lines.
Puma has a long-term mission of becoming the most desirable sport lifestyle company in the world. Describing themselves as the 'blue mountains', Puma has been trying to incorporate more edge, creativity and uniqueness to their designs which is evident with their collaborations with designer fashion names such as Sergio Rossi and Alexander McQueen.
Puma is a sponsor of sporting events and identities in Germany and internationally. The company sponsors numerous footballers and national football teams; the "Formstripe" especially has a heavy presence in Africa. Puma is the sponsor of a number of Bundesliga clubs, most notably Borussia Dortmund.