This past weekend PUMA launched in Miami what could quite possibly be the most significant shoe of 2017 in the JAMMING -a shoe that features PUMA’s brand-new technology NRGY beads- at Art Basel.
PUMA touted the new technology -which is described as ” raw NRGY beads in the sole of the shoe moving freely inside the clear midsole with every step and jam together as the foot plants” as “the ultimate comfort and cushioning customized for your step”.
Guests from all over the world were treated to a fully interactive space that was constructed for art enthusiasts to touch, play and feel while taking the ultimate selfie. Immersive materials, visual aesthetics and sharable engagements were just a couple of opportunities available at the pop-up installation this past weekend.
What makes this particular shoe so important to PUMA – and significant to the industry- is that it poses a legitimate threat to the success adidas is seeing with Boost (technology adidas tried to sue PUMA for using -PUMA claimed that it was first to use it- and ultimately lost). You see, while PUMA doesn’t have the likes of Kanye West or Pharrell pushing product, they have secured a bunch of strategic partnerships over the past several years including -quite possibly its most significant -an ongoing partnership with Roc Nation.
Ultimately this could be a pivotal moment for PUMA as they continue to be a relatively quiet threat in the ongoing battle for market share in the US and one that will continue to unfold in to 2018.