Puma India has launched a new ad film with its Gen-Z brand ambassador, Ibrahim Ali Khan. The film has Khan and his friends exploring the streets of Mumbai sporting Puma’s newly re-launched sneaker range ‘Palmero’ which was all the rage in the '70s and '80s.
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The film targets the younger generations with fondness for the fashion style of 80s and early 90s. The film features several cultural nuances from the 80s such as Fiat taxis, Irani cafes, glass soda bottles and trams, trying to catch Gen Z’s fascination with the fashion and lifestyle of the 80s even though they have never lived that life.
The sudden fascination with all things ‘vintage’ can be attributed to several interconnected cultural and psychological factors like the impact of popular Netflix series Stranger Things, the resurgence of 80s pop songs, the aesthetic and vibrant appeal of the fashion of the era as well as the yearning for simpler lifestyle among Gen Z.
Puma, which has been taking its athleisure game quite seriously, re-launched the Palmero earlier this year. Brand shares reportedly increased by 4% after the launch of Palmero sneakers.
"We are only six months now in the market with the Palmero and we see how the franchises are continuing to grow in strength month after month,” Puma CEO Arne Freundt had told the media in April this year.
Puma has been banking on 'nostalgia' for a while now. Along with Palmero the brand has also revisited its classic products, such as the Puma Suede shoe, which has a long and storied history dating back to the 1960s. Additionally, it frequently partners with designers and cultural icons, blending contemporary fashion with nostalgic elements. For example, it has teamed up with spanish brand Palomo to launch a collection of apparel and footwear that combine retro and contemporary styles.
Puma effectively incorporates nostalgia marketing into its branding strategy by reviving products and engaging consumers through innovative campaigns and collaborations.
In fact there has been a trend in the industry for older shoes to be given revamped looks. For example, the Adidas Samba has also experienced a significant resurgence in popularity since 2020 in both athletic and fashion circles. Adidas has since introduced new colours and variations of the Samba shoes to maintain consumer interest.
Brands are increasingly capitalising on the nostalgia market by relaunching iconic products and reviving past marketing campaigns to evoke emotional connections with consumers. For example, Bajaj relaunched the electric version of their iconic ‘Chetak’ bikes in 2020.
Similarly, Reliance Industries paid approximately Rs 22 crore to Pure Drinks to aquire popular Indian soft drink Campa Cola in August 2022. It relaunched Campa Cola in three different flavours in 2023. The company aims to revive the brand as part of its strategy to expand its fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) portfolio.
Parle’s Poppins, Rola-cola and Jawa Yezdi are some other iconic brands that have made a comeback in recent years.
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