REACH's Ingenious Influencer Marketing Collaboration with PUMA
In November 2021, global sports brand PUMA was set to launch a new shoe line in collaboration with pop sensation Dua Lipa. To promote the release and engage Gen Z, PUMA turned to REACH, an expert influencer marketing agency. This case study details how REACH harnessed creativity and influencer power to bring this campaign to life.
PUMA aimed to promote its new Dua Lipa collaboration shoes to Gen Z, capitalizing on the popularity of the singer and cultural tastemaker. REACH was tasked with generating out-of-the-box strategies to involve influencers in showcasing the shoes, with the goal of creating a unique and engaging campaign for the holiday season.
REACH kicked off by curating a list of influencers who expressed interest in promoting PUMA's new shoes. These influencers, which included both current REACH members and alumni, had a cumulative follower count of about 20 million, ensuring extensive reach for the campaign.
REACH orchestrated a unique "White Elephant" style gifting activation during their end of semester banquet. Prior to the event, all 60 members were asked to submit their shoe sizes, which were then sent to PUMA. PUMA, in turn, provided boxes of shoes matching the sizes given.
A dedicated team of REACH executive board members then meticulously wrapped the shoes as holiday gifts, building a visually striking Christmas tree structure from the shoe boxes. This remarkable setup added a festive flair to the banquet, and importantly, created an irresistible photo opportunity.
As part of the activation, REACH members were encouraged to create and share user-generated content (UGC) featuring the gifted PUMA shoes. They tagged PUMA, PUMA Woman, and PUMA Brand in their posts, providing PUMA with a wealth of content for their own social media channels.
What resulted was an organic burst of posts from REACH members. The unique nature of the campaign—a Christmas tree made out of shoe boxes—grabbed the attention of REACH members who enthusiastically posted at least one Instagram story each, furthering PUMA's reach.
Beyond the event, many REACH members continued wearing and showcasing their gifted PUMA shoes on their personal social media accounts, offering ongoing promotion for the brand.
The innovative approach of this campaign resulted in a wealth of promotional content for PUMA's new shoe line. The 'White Elephant' shoe gifting activation successfully intrigued and engaged REACH members, leading to widespread and enthusiastic social media sharing, which amplified the product's visibility among the Gen Z demographic.
The campaign's uniqueness ensured not only immediate visibility upon the shoe's release but also ongoing promotion, as REACH members continued to wear and showcase the shoes post-event.
The PUMA x REACH collaboration is a testament to the power of creative influencer marketing in reaching and engaging with a target audience. The unique activation that tied into the holiday theme generated excitement and continuous engagement, and the lasting value of the gifted products extended the promotion far beyond the campaign period. This initiative highlights the ability of strategic influencer partnerships to not only generate immediate buzz but also ensure ongoing engagement and brand visibility. The campaign's success serves as an exciting blueprint for future collaborations.