The record-breaking wins by Usain Bolt at last week's track and field world championships in Berlin has been a boon for Puma. Speaking to Bloomberg News, Chief Executive Officer Jochen Zeitz said, “The products we have created for the world championships are sold out.”
They include a special Jamaica collection, his spikes worn in Berlin and a lifestyle-version of the shoes minus the spikes, Zeitz said. He declined to give a sales forecast. Puma has sponsored Bolt, 23, since he was 16.
Bolt on August 20 broke his own world record in the 200 meters in 19.19 seconds in Berlin. It was his second world mark of the meet, after he topped his own 100-meter standard in 9.58 seconds five days ago in the Olympic stadium.
In its own statement, Puma celebrated Bolt's success. Puma was the sponsor of the Jamaican track & field team at the World Athletics Championships 2009 in Berlin.
“Usain Bolt wrote again sports history at the World Athletics
Championships in Berlin when he shattered his own two world records in
amazing times and went home with three world championship titles,” said
Zeitz. “We are thrilled to have been
Usain's partner since he was 16 and congratulate him on his incredible
success. He pushed the limits of speed and power and stepped into Jesse
Owens footsteps who became a legend at the Olympic Games in the same
stadium in 1936. Through the enormous brand visibility, that has an
estimated media value of several hundreds of millions of US Dollars,
PUMA clearly strengthened and further expanded its position as one of
the leading running brands.”
“Berlin has been so welcoming to me
and to the entire Jamaican team,” said Bolt on the closing day of
the 12th IAAF World Championship. “What an experience to come here, the
place where barriers were broken by Jesse Owens in the 1936 Olympics
and be able to set new world records. Winning the 4 x 100 on Saturday
night as a team was the perfect way to end this race week. Thanks to
all of Berlin, the fans worldwide and my sponsor PUMA who have
supported us.”
PUMA's activities around the World Championships were accompanied by the global PUMA marketing campaign “Who faster?” which included several marketing initiatives focussing on in store and viral marketing.
On August 23rd, at the conclusion of the World Championships, the city of Berlin said “Thanks” to Usain when the capital's mayor Klaus Wowereit, handed over an original piece of the Berlin Wall 20 years after its fall to the fastest man on earth. The unique souvenir has a height of about 3.60 meters and a width of 1.20 meters and weighs 2.7 tons. It was designed exclusively for Usain Bolt and the front displays him on his way to break the 100 m world record on the legendary blue of the Berlin tracks.
Other teams that PUMA sponsored at the World Athletics Championships were Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Uganda, Botswana and the Czech Republic.