HERE'S TO THE AFTER HOURS ATHLETE: PUMA

In terms of attracting a younger consumer, to their lifestyle trainers, I think that Puma have hit it on the mark here with their 'Here's to the After Hours Athlete' campaign.

Watch the TV advert to see for yourself how right Puma have got this campaign...

'Backspin on a work table under bad light. A kiss of the 8 ball a bank of the 6. Double ball on a single throw, three pints in. Picking up a spare on the final frame. Singing on key, off key and losing keys. Steady hands. Blurry eyes. Bars. Billiards. Basements. Bacon sandwiches with extra hot sauce. Surviving buzzkills, third wheels cockblocks and cabs in the ring. Flashlights drawn by dawn. 

These are the problems of the after hours athlete. 

When last call calls, don't answer. 

The night too is for sport, and they are the champions.'

I first saw any aspect of this campaign while in Berlin at the Bread & Butter Trade Show where they had print advertising everywhere and their stand was created into an ice bar offering an underground social club experience. This featured the after hours 'activities' featured in the advert, including darts, pool, table football and ping pong, that you can enjoy while having a beer.

The campaign has opened up a new side to sports brands and really communicated the lifestyle side of the company well, while still keeping the sporting side at the same time. It makes consumers feel that they can get involved and wear the brand even if they themselves are not sporty...because it is not all about what we stereotype to be sport. Puma offer an alternative product lifestyle which celebrates social activities that their consumers will relate to.

In terms of the text for the advertising (shown above) it is spoken in a language that will appeal to younger consumers by involving words and phrases that they can relate to. Also, the inclusion of disjointed sentences, with a lot of stopping and starting, starts to reflect the way that consumers will start to speak once they have had a few drinks during the 'after hours'

All in all I think this is an amazing concept....just wish that maybe we'd come up with it?

Oh well...well done Puma