Puma’s early commitment to women’s sports has proven visionary, especially in light of the Indian women’s cricket team’s historic World Cup victory, a moment that underscores the brand’s long-term belief in female athletes.
The Visionary Approach
Long before women’s sports gained today’s momentum, Puma India invested strategically in female athletes and teams. For Shreya Sachdev, Head of Marketing at Puma India, the team’s recent win isn’t a surprise but a vindication of years of faith and effort. “Now that the world finally sees the same potential, our job gets easier but the work isn’t done,” she noted.
Pioneering Sponsorships
For Puma, signing women cricketers wasn’t just good publicity, it was smart business. The brand consistently sponsors three to seven players each year, with names like Harmanpreet Kaur, Deepti Sharma, and Richa Ghosh among their roster. These long-term partnerships have built visibility and trust around women’s cricket.
Breaking New Ground
Puma’s mission goes beyond individual endorsements. They aim to make women’s cricket a sport people follow year-round, not only when India wins. Sachdev believes marketing budgets should now reflect this growing awareness, investing steadily rather than treating women’s sport as a one-off trend.
The Ripple Effect
The cultural impact of the win has transformed women’s cricket into a commercially viable space. As more fans recognize players’ names and stories, brand engagement becomes easier, this visibility is what unlocks long-term sponsorship value.
Adaptation in the Global Market
Puma’s ongoing success stems from understanding sport as both an emotional and business investment. Sachdev highlights that the true opportunity lies in attracting non-endemic brands, those outside the sports category to see women’s cricket as a powerful storytelling platform.
The Future of Brand and Sports
Women’s sport now stands at a turning point. For Puma, this is not the end of a campaign but the start of a new era in brand investment and cultural recognition, one that rewards those who believed early and invested consistently.
For more stories on brands empowering women in sports and business, visit Winning Her Way.
