Puma India signs PV Sindhu as brand ambassador, ET BrandEquity

PV Sindhu x Puma IndiaSports brand Puma India has expanded its sporting portfolio by partnering with Indian badminton PV Sindhu in a multi-year collaboration. This marks Puma’s official foray into badminton, making India a pioneer within the Puma universe to access the racquet-sport. Through this association, Puma looks to further strengthen its sports-first presence, elevating badminton’s profile in the country, and inspiring the next generation of athletes.

Badminton’s popularity in India is surging, with a fan base of 57 million, according to the Google-Deloitte Think Sports report from 2024. Of this, 27.8 million are Gen Z, reflecting the sport’s strong appeal among younger audiences. Badminton has also emerged as the second-most played sport in urban areas, after cricket, and has seen a remarkable 65 per cent rise in active participation over the past four years. With this takeaway, Puma and Sindhu have partnered to broaden the sport’s attractiveness, particularly among young athletes.

Commenting on the partnership, PV Sindhu said, “I’m excited to join the Puma family, a brand that shares my belief in the power of sport to inspire. This partnership with Puma India isn’t just about being part of something bigger—it is an opportunity to connect with those who value pushing boundaries and embracing challenges. Badminton has always been a platform for growth and self-discovery for me, and through this collaboration, I hope to encourage others, especially women, to take risks, believe in themselves, and strive for more—both on and off the court.”Karthik Balagopalan, managing director of Puma India, added, “PV Sindhu is a legend and a trailblazer, and we are proud and delighted to welcome her into our Puma family. She is the most followed badminton athlete in the world. As we make our first-ever step into badminton, this association will further our goal to increase Puma’s footprint in the rapidly growing sports landscape in the country, inspiring more youngsters to take up the racquet-sport.”

Ahead of the announcement, Puma India launched a never-done-before activation wherein the sports brand made a serious move by changing its brand signage at several of its stores across the country for close to a week. The brand name ‘Puma’ was changed to ‘Pvma’, as a massive gesture to celebrate the legendary Sindhu. This big move created ample buzz on the internet over the last few days.

As part of this partnership, Puma will also launch a high-performance badminton range soon, featuring specialised footwear, apparel, and accessories. The upcoming collection is designed to redefine on-court performance while catering to the lifestyle aspirations of sports enthusiasts, drawing on the insight that community-driven activities—whether sports or otherwise—motivate people to show up looking their best.

The partnership between Puma and Sindhu will debut at the India Open 2025, providing the platform for a dynamic collaboration which will set the tone for the future of badminton in India.

• Published On Jan 13, 2025 at 02:40 PM IST

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