Puma ads fuse retro and innovation using AR and gaming

Puma has launched a new campaign in India for its ‘Play On’ pack of sneakers, taking retro styling and giving it a modern twist using AR and gaming.

The campaign, which largely centres on activity on Instagram, uses imagery that harks back to a more 1980’s style, to promote the style of the sneakers. To bring it into a space that’s relevant for younger consumers, the brand launched an AR Instagram filter and an arcade-style game called ‘Rider Ball’.

Debosmita Majumder, head of marketing at Puma India, said: "As a brand, we always look for interesting ways to communicate with our consumers and innovation is at the forefront of that effort. With a retro-inspired sneaker like Rider, we had the chance to leverage Instagram augmented reality filters and swipe up arcade games to bring fans ‘back to the 80's’, so they can have fun and share with friends too."

The game, which plays on the theme of classic games like pinball, allows players to enter into a competition to win the trainers.

The campaign was executed by creative tech studio AliveNow. The agency and brand promoted the activity through digital, enlisting influencers such as Sara Ali Khan and Sahil Sharma AKA Zaeden to help share the content.

AliveNow senior strategist Siddharth Satyanath, said: “Working with such a fun brand and team was nothing short of brilliant. The Rider franchise unlocked new ideas that we could tap into and we look forward to what more is to come from Puma this year.”