PUMA was launching a new store in the inner west-side of Melbourne, its first new store for the area. Our challenge was to generate awareness amongst our 16-24-year-old target audience in the west of Melbourne, build affinity with the PUMA brand and attract them to the store for its grand opening day.

The people of Melbourne’s west are a tough crowd to please. So, when PUMA was launching their first store there, we knew traditional big-brand ‘chest-beating’ wouldn’t do anything for the brand.

Inspired by the insight that PUMA’s target audience are proud of their area and champion local home-grown small businesses and artists, we announced PUMA’s arrival by celebrating the other small businesses in the area and called on people to pay a visit to them.

When customers visited and purchased something from these small businesses, they received a PUMA | WESTSIDE token, redeemable for a free limited-edition PUMA garment, designed by a diverse group of well-known local artists and only available from the new store.

On opening day of the new store, the limited-edition PUMA | WESTSIDE collection was released, and people were able to visit and secure their piece with their token.

The target audience are 16 to 24-year-old male and female consumers who are into street-style apparel. Their demand for authenticity is high and reject the usual big brand hype. Therefore, we couldn’t just announce a new store opening with the usual cliché narrative and expect them to show up. We needed to create something interesting, relevant and meaningful to them and their area.

The strategy of celebrating all the great local businesses and artists in their area was created so PUMA would be accepted as a new local, not a big brand arriving to change the existing dynamic of the area.

We produced a series of outdoor and targeted online social ads that announced PUMA’s upcoming arrival and celebrated the other great businesses of the area by calling on people to visit them prior to the PUMA store opening. Posters, store window ‘partner’ decals and counter cards were placed within the small businesses announcing the opening and limited-edition garment offer.

The local businesses promoted in the campaign ranged from a well-known burger joint, to an eclectic barbershop, an old independent cinema, a craft beer brewery to a well-loved tattooist and more.

When customers visited and purchased something from the businesses, they received a PUMA token which garnered them a free garment from the PUMA | WESTSIDE collection. All customers then needed to do was show up on the grand opening day of the PUMA store with their token to redeem their piece.

On the opening day, hundreds of garments were redeemed via the limited-edition keyrings and all other proceeds of the limited-run garments sold on the day were donated to local charities aligned to each artist. Foot traffic in and around the new store reached 60,000 and 90% of visits came from first time customers.