PUMA HAS teamed up with BMW Motorsport in a new multi-year deal which will see the sports apparel brand become the official supplier of race and team wear for all BMW Motorsport racing operations.
Under the terms of the deal, valued by Frontloaded in the mid-seven figures per year, Puma will sponsor the BMW teams in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) racing series, the American LeMans Series (ALMS) and various high-profile long-distance races including the 24-hour Nürburgring.
Puma will also assume the role of exclusive licensing partner for BMW Motorsport for the product categories of footwear, apparel and accessories. The deal is of a similar nature to the agreement the brand had with BMW during its tenure in Formula One which came to an end in 2009.
Puma retains a presence in F1 via its partnerships with Mercedes GP Petronas and Ferrari F1, the latter of the two deals renewed in June 2011 for an undisclosed period of time.
The partnership with BMW Motorsport is the latest example of Puma’s shift in commercial strategy. Highlighted by Christian Voigt, Puma’s senior head of global sports marketing, in the latest edition of the Frontiers newsletter, the German brand has refocused its sponsorship activity in a “back on the attack” attempt to be “rooted as a sports brand”.
In what has been a flurry of commercial activity in recent months, Puma has announced a personal endorsement deal with Dutch footballer Nigel De Jong and a kit manufacturing agreement with Italian Serie A side Palermo in the last two weeks.
Read our full interview with Puma’s Christian Voigt in the January issue of Frontiers.
By Luke Harman
luke.harman@sportbusiness.com