Another London classic, the Metro sign, makes an appearance in the changing rooms alongside a bevy of white tiles, transforming them into tube stations. A footwear catwalk, capturing London’s place as a fashion capital of the world, leads from the store entrance to a focus wall on the far side.
In Amsterdam, a wall filled with vintage car mirrors acts as a display platform for sneakers; the installation, created by local artist collective, The Invisible Party, plays on the Dutch tradition of placing car mirrors on the doors and windows of houses to provide a sightline to the doorbell. A lighting system on the second floor is constructed out of old bike frames welded together, and the changing rooms have been covered in traditional delft tiles—all “Pumarized” accordingly. Most strikingly, a brand wall constructed from a collection of old Amsterdam doors, painted red and emblazoned with the Puma logo, stretches through all three floors of the space.
The Munich store features a motorsports area to appeal to Germans’ innate love of automobiles, but it also incorporates touches of a more regional flavor. The changing rooms are something of an homage to the typical alpine hut, manufactured from Bavarian reclaimed wood. Puma’s “Dylan” cat sculpture (wearing deer antlers, no less) makes an appearance in the area, while shoppers entering the changing rooms are greeted by a life-sized sculpture of Dylan and a red floormat reading “servus”—the Bavarian word for hello.
“The local flavor is a new addition to the Puma stores and has a significant role in it. This direction was chosen for two reasons,” explains Franz. “First of all, it acknowledges the sense of uniqueness. Puma is a global brand, yes, but this does not necessarily speak against being unique or individual in a certain way. These local elements add something interesting, something special and joyful to the design and make it unique.”
“Secondly, by reflecting the consumers’ direct environment and things that are part of their lifestyle and familiar to them, you give them more chances to identify with the brand. In this sense, it can be a great way to strengthen customer retention.”
Technology also plays a large role in the Retail 2.0 concept, and it injects another dose of joy into the Puma shopping experience. Overhead digital screens display hypnotic, slow moving visuals of fluffy clouds and underwater scenes, while “unsmart phones” ring when approached by customers; once picked up, the phones offer everything from Puma trivia to animal sounds. “Peep Show” installations, found in the changing rooms, display video clips about the brand, while a movable joy-pad wall, assembled from 32 synchronized digital touch screens, allows users to play simple games and compete with friends.