Puma and Foot Locker expand partnership to reach “next-generation customers”

Sportswear brand Puma and athletic retailer Foot Locker are to strengthen their relationship with a new expanded partnership, underscored by a focus on basketball and the creation of exclusive product collections.

According to the businesses, the new product collections will aim to meet the demands of the "growing next-generation market segment". The companies also plan to roll out hyper-relevant creator engagements and brand partnerships that specifically resonate with a younger audience.

Bob Philion, President of Puma North America, commented: “Puma's long-standing relationship with Foot Locker has played an instrumental role in our ability to drive innovation and push the boundaries of sports, fashion, and technology globally.

“Our enhanced partnership not only provides us with additional opportunities for collaboration and growth, but it will enable us to provide even greater experiences and inclusion for our evolving customer base around the world.”

Through this strengthened partnership, Puma and Foot Locker have planned a series of exclusive collections and product collaborations with highly influential ambassadors reaching Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

Specific plans include:

• Expanding the basketball and classics categories with continued exclusive access to the LaMelo Ball Signature program, which launched with the MB.02 in October.
• Launching the first-ever Puma x Pokémon collaboration. Puma and Foot Locker are partnering with The Pokémon Company International and Niantic to turn 400 Foot Locker, Champs Sports, and Kids Foot Locker stores into Gyms and Poké Stops in Pokémon GO.
• Puma x Paw Patrol, a new collection of playful and sporty styles for kids will be available at exclusively at Kids Foot Locker and Foot Locker.
• Creating and launching upcoming athlete capsules with Mikey Williams
• Building exclusive product programs to be released in the coming months with social media star and music artist Dixie D’Amelio and hip-hop artist Cordae
• Launching PUMA x CoComelon, a new collaboration coming out next Spring and inspired by CoComelon’s favorite characters, which will "create a close connection with the younger generation".

Andrew Gray, Executive Vice President, Global Lockers and Champs Sports, Foot Locker, Inc., added: “We are very excited to build on our already strong partnership with Puma. By expanding and strengthening our collaboration with Puma, we continue to advance our strategy to diversify our product selection and bring new and innovative products to our consumers.”

In addition to building hyper-relevant creative partnerships and product collections, Puma and Foot Locker will continue to advance shared marketplace opportunities, which include:

• Adding hype drops and marketplace exclusivity through franchises, such as the RSX, shared marketing partnership investments, and elevated in-store and online experiences for Puma and Foot Locker customers
• Investing in product creation and marketing to help support Foot Locker’s Leading Education & Economic Development (LEED) Initiative, the company’s commitment to invest in, amplify, and empower the Black community, and PUMA’s REFORM platform to drive social change.