Puma hands Y&R its China creative business as sports brands see healthy growth in Asia
Puma has named Y&R its creative agency of record in China, as it hopes to add firepower to its already fast-growing business in China.
Puma enlists Y&R's help for creative in China
Y&R will now manage the brand’s creative solutions, focusing on digital and social activation, winning the account after a competitive pitch. The work will include all ranges and celebrity collaborations, including its latest with Selena Gomez (above).
Puma said it saw a turnover of 1.13 bn Euros in the first quarter of the year, which it said was largely down to increased demand in the region.
Alex Liang, senior head of marketing for Puma China, said: “We were impressed by the Y&R team, who rather than simply pitching us a creative idea, provided us with a much more insightful and holistic approach to boosting our business in China - covering all the bases.
“China is a very important market for us globally, and we look forward to working with the Y&R team, who we are confident have the skills and expertise necessary to take our brand forward in the market,” added Liang.
Puma isn’t the only brand eyeing China for growth, as competitor Adidas has been very active in market and last week announced that it saw a 27% growth in revenue in China. The wider Asia Pacific market grew 19% in the same period, highlighting China as the region’s North Star for the brand’s growth efforts.
Commenting on the results, Colin Currie, managing director of Adidas Asia-Pacific and Greater China, said: “Our performance in Q2 2018 once again demonstrates the success of our ‘Creating the New’ strategy in Asia-Pacific and the integral role played by Greater China in laying a solid foundation for our future growth in this newly integrated market. Greater China’s excellent performance in Q2 also marks ten straight quarters of above 20% growth, highlighting Adidas’ ongoing success in the area.”
