Puma CEO Jochen Zeitz spoke with CNN's David
Haffenreffer from The Super Show and touted Puma's new deal
with supermodel Christy Turlington, who is endorsing and
helping design a "yoga-inspired concept." Zeitz: "It's
premium priced. It's available in the high-end department
stores. So we're trying to add some new concepts that are
beyond the traditional retail for a sporting goods company."
Zeitz, on footwear sales: "I would say right now it's
probably contracting. There's been too much retail space
out there that has been dedicated to the sporting goods
industry, and we are seeing a consolidation happening right
now." Zeitz, on Puma's marketing strategy: "It is really
the 16-24 year old consumer that is our core consumer, and
we're trying to move away from just traditional sports.
We're trying to really combine traditional sports with
lifestyle, a touch of fashion, making Puma the alternative
sports trend." Zeitz said to expect "less print" in Puma
advertising efforts this year, as "primarily primetime
television, as well as network television," will be the
brand's ad focus ("Biz Buzz," CNNfn, 2/10).
