Introduction

PUMA is one of the worlds foremost sport lifestyle companies that designs and develops footwear, apparel and accessories. It is committed to working in ways that contribute to the world by supporting Creativity, Sustainability and Peace, and by staying honest to the principles of being fair, honest, positive and creative in decisions made and actions taken. PUMA starts in Sport and ends in Fashion. Its Sport Performance and Lifestyle labels comprise various categories such as Football, Running, Motorsports, Golf and Sailing. Sport Fashion features collaborations with renowned designer labels such as Alexander McQueen, Mihara Yasuhiro and Sergio Rossi. The PUMA Group owns the brands PUMA, Cobra Golf and Tretorn. The company, which was founded in the year 1948, and it distributes its products in more than 120 countries; Puma employs more than 9,000 people worldwide and has headquarters in Herzogenaurach (Germany), Boston, London and Hong Kong.

Code of ethics

This Business Code of Ethics sets out in writing PUMAs commitment to ethical and responsible individual and corporate behavior. It lists their most important principles and contains guidelines for the interaction with all of their stakeholders. With this community in mind, and in addition to their existing Supplier Code of Conduct, they have developed the following Code:

PUMA respects and upholds the laws and legal requirements in all countries where it operates PUMA and its employees must not engage in any activities leading to conflicts of interest or unjustified personal benefits PUMA does not financially support any political parties PUMA encourages and supports its employees participation in charitable work PUMA believes all people have the right to freedom from discrimination. PUMA maintains an equal opportunity hiring policy and expects its employees and partners in their daily work and actions to uphold ethical behavior and respect for human rights. PUMA does not tolerate any forms of violence or abuse and will seek opportunities for conflict resolution PUMA respects the individual right to freedom of religion PUMA respects consumer privacy and will not share personal data with third parties without explicit prior consent PUMA acknowledges its responsibility to protect stakeholders, consumers, and the environment from harm and works toward the concept of sustainable development.

They at PUMA AG declare their strict adherence to the respect of Human Rights.

PUMA opens first carbon neutrally-operated company headquarters in the sportlifestyle and sporting goods industry Just two years after laying the foundations for the new building, PUMA opened its new company headquarters in Herzogenaurach, the PUMAVision Headquarters in the autumn of 2009. It is the first carbon neutrally-operated company headquarters in its industry sector. The headquarters at PUMAs German base near Nuremberg is called PUMAVision Headquarters as the construction of the complex, which covers a total area of 50.000 square metres, was strictly guided by PUMAs sustainability concept, PUMAVision. Through the implementation of numerous innovative energy-saving concepts throughout the office building, the Brand Center and the worlds largest PUMA factory outlet store, PUMA

has chosen a new path toward environmental protection. On the roof of the outlet center a photovoltaic generating station of 1,000 square meters was installed and an additional 140 square meters of solar modules were integrated into the window front. Water is heated partly through solar energy. Motion sensors which turn lights off automatically when employees leave their workplace also ensure energy conservation. Furthermore, the buildings are heated and cooled sustainably through concrete core temperature control, a method which is up to the highest ecological standards. To save on water the toilets in the restrooms are flushed with rainwater collected in a cistern. Through these energy-saving concepts PUMA is making a significant contribution to climate protection and significantly saves electricity, CO2 and water,and therefore also money. Electricity for the PUMA building in Herzogenaurach is generated from renewable energy sources only, meaning the company has been able to considerably cut down its carbon footprint. In order to offset the remaining CO2 emissions, PUMA actively supports a wind farm in Turkey as a compensation project. Through this, PUMA has reached an ambitious goal PUMAVision Headquarters is the first carbon neutral company headquarters in the sportlifestyle and sporting goods industry. Another prime concern besides environmental protection was the creation of attractive working conditions for the 650 employees. The PUMAVision Headquarters is designed in a modern and stylish ambiance, perfectly representing PUMAs philosophy. The buildings 107 ample single and open plan offices are flooded with light via the floor-to-ceiling windows, fusing functional design and the highest possible flexibility. Using mobile interior elements, spaces can easily be modified according to the needs of specific projects and workshops, thus conforming to PUMAs flat and decentralized corporate structure. The Brand Center covers a total area of 10.000 square meters and houses five showrooms displaying PUMAs innovative sportlifestyle collections, as well as a multimedia hall, which holds up to 1,500 people during presentations and events, and which can also be hired out externally. The architectural plans for PUMAVision Headquarters were inspired by the strength, energy and ease symbolized by PUMAs unique logo of a jumping wild cat, and this is also represented in the buildings aesthetics. The PUMA Factory Outlet Store, which reminds of a red PUMA shoe box, offers PUMA collections on an area covering 3000 square meters.

Brand Philosophy

With the objective of being "The Most Desirable and Sustainable Sport lifestyle Company, PUMA's position as one of the few, true multi-category brands is to be strengthened and the opportunities offered by the sport lifestyle market are to be systematically exploited in all categories and regions. As a multi-category supplier, PUMA is active in categories and business fields/divisions that suit its unique brand positioning, and in which permanent value increases can be achieved for the company. PUMA is positioned as a sport lifestyle brand that takes pleasure in skilfully combining sports and lifestyle influences and which strives to contribute to a better world. The above-mentioned brand positioning is to be supported by selectively expanding the existing product categories, by regional expansion, and by expansion with non-PUMA brands. In 2009, they continued to strengthen their Sport lifestyle brand through unique events and marketing campaigns from PUMA City in Boston during the Volvo Ocean Race North American stopover to Usain Bolts Who Faster? campaign in Berlin during the World Championships. In 2009, Puma also refined their brand manual. 10 is the very first brand manual to incorporate the four keys to success of the global PUMA Vision fair, honest, positive and creative. Their brand mission to be the most desirable Sport lifestyle brand in the world has not changed at all. They have brought back the spirit of the DJ in their new Brand Promise to joyfully mix the influences of Sport and Lifestyle with the desire to contribute to a better world. Joy is what they will try to bring to their consumers and is what will differentiate us from their competition its their point-of-view. While others talk about blood, sweat and tears of sport, they recognize that they cannot be the only rewards. Rather, theyll talk about the moments of joy inherent in both sport and life. They are the brand that remembers what it was like to play the game and to play it with joy.

Its what theyve always done best and now the time is right to bring the joy back again. So when they think about product, about marketing, retail or anything in the business, the first question it must ask is: Where is the Joy? It could be the feeling of running fast on a track, or getting social with your friends playing ping pong at a bar. Joy is being the best while having fun doing it. With their fine tuned position of joy and their refined brand manual, 10, they look forward to becoming a stronger, more confident brand and continuing the tradition of fun-infused product and campaigns.

Leaders

Rudolf Dassler

Rudolf dassler founded his company PUMA in 1948 and at the same time, he registered the first PUMA logo picturing a puma jumping through a slim letter d (for dassler).This logo is reliving a revival with Rudolf dassler schunfabrikcollection, the designs focus on the heritage of the company that the strong and charismatic Rudolf Dassler founded 60 years ago.

Jochen Zeitz CEO and Chairman PUMA AG

Jochen Zeitz was born on April 6, 1963 in Mannheim, Germany. Rather than following in his family's footsteps and becoming a medical doctor, Zeitz attended the European Business School. In 1986, he graduated in International Marketing and Finance, after having studied in Germany, France, and the United States. He began his professional career with ColgatePalmolive in New York and Hamburg. In 1990, Zeitz joined PUMA and in 1993 was appointed Chairman and CEO of PUMA, becoming the youngest Chairman in German history to head a public company at the age of 30.

Zeitz has spearheaded and held primary responsibility for the worldwide restructuring of PUMA, which was in financial difficulties at the time. He reached the first major milestone within his initial year as CEO, when PUMA delivered its first profitable performance since 1986, posting consolidated sales of 210 million Euros with an EBIT of 23 million Euros in 1994. The PUMA share price gained around 4000 percent in 13 years, from 8.6 Euros in 1993 to an all time high of 350 Euros in April 2007. Zeitz managed to turn PUMA from a low price brand into a premium Sportlifestyle company and one of the top three brands in the sporting good industry by sticking to a long-term development plan that he introduced in 1993. Zeitz has been the longest serving CEO of a public DAX/MDAX company in Germany.

Jochen Zeitz believes in success through passion and he is a great aficionado of the African continent, its people and culture. He speaks six foreign languages, including Swahili. Zeitz also believes that PUMA's position as the creative leader in Sportlifestyle presents the opportunity and the responsibility to contribute to a better world for the generations to come. In 2008, Zeitz introduced PUMAVision a concept to implement a corporate ethical framework defined by the 4Key principles of being Fair, Honest, Positive and Creative as applied to all professional behavior, business procedures and relationships throughout and outside of PUMA. Through PUMAVision, new initiatives and concepts are brought under way that drive PUMA to cleaner, greener, safer and more sustainable systems and practices. In April 2010, Zeitz launched the next pivotal

phase of PUMAs ambitious long-term sustainability program through which the company aims at reducing carbon, energy, water and waste by 25% by 2015.

Jochen Zeitz extended his commitment to his personal life. In 2008, he founded the non-profit Zeitz Foundation of Intercultural Ecosphere Safety to support creative and innovative sustainable projects that balance conservation, community development, culture, and commerce (the 4Cs), promoting an inclusive, holistic paradigm of conservation that enhances livelihoods and fosters intercultural dialogue. Since October 2009, he has been Honorable Warden of the Kenya Wildlife Service. Jochen Zeitz has been a member of the Board of Directors of Harley Davidson since 2007 and has received numerous awards during his professional career, including "2001 Entrepreneur of the Year", "Strategist of the Year" for three years in a row by the Financial Times", "Trendsetter of the Year" and "Best of European Business Award 2006". In 2004, the German Federal President awarded him with the Federal Cross of Merit of the Republic of Germany.

Specialization and core Product

TEAMSPORT

PUMA already started to gear up for the Football World Cup in South Africa in 2010 the first sport event of the magnitude of a Football World Cup on African soil. In the world of football, PUMA is synonymous with Africa. This is the result of over ten years of their continued investment to further boost the image of the African game. To manifest their commitment to Africa, they have even gone as far as alternating their PUMA Number One Logo for the first time in the companys history, replacing the iconic PUMA cat with the African continent in advertising and in-store materials. The PUMA Africa logo will be exclusively used during the World Cup for print ads, in store materials and some product styles.

The new logo was launched with the African Cup of Nations in January, which was their warm up in the football year 2010. Ten PUMA teams out of a total of 16 participated in the tournament in Angola. The players of Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Togo, Tunisia, Mozambique, Algeria, Egypt, Ghana and Ivory Coast all sported the leaping cat on their jerseys. For the first time, PUMA was the Official Fan Supplier of the tournament and operated shopping areas outside the stadiums in Angola during the event. Egypt won the final of the African Cup of Nations for the third successive time today and seventh overall, beating PUMA-sponsored team Ghana 1-0. Seven national PUMA teams out of a total of 32 qualified for the football highlight of the year, which will kick off on June 11th in Johannesburg. Current World Champion Italy, Cameroon, Algeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Switzerland and Uruguay all passed the qualification stage and will be wearing the new PUMA v1.10 playing kits.

PUMA has also partnered with artist Kehinde Wiley, the internationally acclaimed, half-Nigerian

American-born painter, in order to create a series of four original artworks featuring Africas most prominent football players, Samuel Etoo, John Mensah and Emmanuel Ebou. The four commissioned portraits will be used to build a limited edition collection of apparel that will be sold during the 2010 World Cup. Also taking PUMA forward to the World Cup was the launch of the new PUMA speed boot: the v1.10. This product was supported by the first in a series of LOVE = FOOTBALL creative executions.

This past year saw many large marketing initiatives in the Teamsport division. PUMA launched a new boot to its King line: the PUMA King XL Italia. This boot was accompanied by a limited edition kit, ball, and gloves. The PUMA King XL Italia Collection coincided with the 80th anniversary of Vittorio Pozzos appointment as Italys first full-time national coach the only coach to have won two World Cup titles and the creator of the tactical il Metodo formation.

At the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa, Gli Azzurri wore this collection. In 2009, PUMA became an official partner of the United States Womens Professional Soccer League. As an official partner of WPS, PUMA is the supplier of the league uniforms, training gear, on-field gear and equipment, including the official WPS Match Ball and fanwear such as tees, replica jerseys and accessories. The leagues inaugural season was supported by PUMAs Recognize Awesome campaign, featured in print, television, and web media. Also new to Teamsport marketing was the India Premier League (IPL) and the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) League, both highlighted by extensive campaigns throughout their respective countries.

. RUNNING
In 2009, PUMA wrote again sport history as the sponsor of the Jamaican Track & Field Team at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin. Threetime Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt broke the 100m world record with an amazing time of 9.58 seconds, when he blew away his own world record of 9.69 seconds set in last years Olympic Games in Beijing. The PUMA athlete manifested his reputation of a sprint superstar when he smashed his 200 meter world record of last year to become the World Champion in 19.19

seconds. With the Jamaican team coming in first in the 4x100 relay in 42.06 seconds, Bolt finished an amazing race week by adding another gold medal and World Championship title to his track record. The Theseus Pro sprint spike, dubbed the PUMA YAAM, propelled Bolt to victory. The shoe was developed by a team of PUMA designers and technicians who studied and measured his stride and foot form. With this information and ongoing track-testing, they created a custom-made sprint spike that best suited Usains unique body kinetics. Marketing support for Usain Bolt, Jamaica, and the PUMA Running category spanned the globe. For the World Championships, PUMA launched its Who Faster? campaign: an in-store, online, guerilla marketing blitz which featured Bolt and Jamaican patois phrases relating to the concepts of fast and fun. WhoFaster.com was created, with pages that taught viewers to dance, run, and speak Jamaican. One notable tactic included the debut of Bolt Arms, yellow foam arms posed in Bolts infamous crossbow pose, which can be worn across ones back. Bolt himself wore Bolt Arms to the World Championships press conference, kicking off a worldwide craze and much press attention.

PUMA Running also sponsored smaller running events around the world. The PUMA Speed Trap was set up at various locations from Boston to Berlin, inviting people to test their speed against Bolts near impossible 27 miles per hour.

THE PUMA ATHLETES 1930s: Jesse Owens (100 meters, 200 meters, long jump, 4X100 meter relay) 1950s: Herbert Burdenski (football), Josef Barthel (1500 meters), Horst Eckel (football), Werner Liebrich (football), Heinz Ftterer (100 meters) 1960s: Armin Hary (100 meters), Pel (football), Gaston Roelants (300 meter steeplechase), Mary Rand (long jump), Abebe Bikila (marathon), Eusbio de Silva Ferreira (football), Tommie Smith (200 meters), Lee Evans ((400 meters/ 4x400 meter relay), Willie Davenport (110 meter hurdles), Bob Seagren (pole vault), Jim Hines (100 meters), Joe Namath (American Football) 1970s: Mary Peters (pentathlon), John Akii-Bua (400 meter hurdles), Randy Williams (long jump), Klaus Wolfermann (javelin), Dwight Stones (high jump), Johan Cruijff (football), Guillermo Vilas (Tennis), Allan Simonsen (football), Mario Kempes (football), Renaldo Nehemiah (110 meter hurdles) 1980s: Marcus Allen (American Football), Bruno Conti (football), Diego Maradonna (football),

Sydnee Maree (1500 meters), Evelyn Ashford (100 meter/ 4x100 meter relay), Martina Navratilova (Tennis), Boris Becker (Tennis) 1990s: Lothar Matthus (football), Heike Drechsler (long jump), Merlene Ottey (100 meters, 200 meters), Linford Christie (100 meters), Colin Jackson (110 meter hurdles), Dieter Baumann (1500 meters), Velez Sarsfield (football), Jonathan Edwards (triple jump), Serena Williams (Tennis), Vince Carter (basketball), Oscar De La Hoya (boxing), Nicolas Anelka (football), Jamie Baulch (400 meters), Wilson Kipketer (800 meters), Christopher Kosgei (3000 meters steeplechase), Tsiamita Paraskevi (triple jump), Noah Ngeny (1000 meters). 2000: Konstantinos Kenteris (200 meters), El Hadji Diouf (football), Travis Pastrana (motor cross), Robert Pires (football), Gianluigi Buffon (football), Jung Hwan Ahn (football), Chema Martinez (10,000 meters), Michael Schumacher (Formula 1), Mario Gomez (football), Marcell Jansen (football), Usain Bolt (100 meters, 4x100 meter relay, 200 meters), Sebastian Vettel (Formula 1), Samuel Etoo (football), El Hadji Diouf (football), Rickie Fowler (Golf), Emmanuel Ebou (football). .

MOTORSPORT

PUMAs thriving Motorsport category celebrated its 10th Anniversary last year. It has been a long but incredibly successful track - from the humble beginnings back in 1999 to the pole position of PUMA Motorsport today one of the companys most triumphant sport performance categories. To celebrate the diamond anniversary, PUMA launched the PUMA Motorsport 10th Anniversary collection of apparel, footwear and accessories that blend on-track technical performance with off-track fashion appeal.

PUMA has been designing and creating footwear and apparel for the top Formula One racing drivers and most impressive MotoGP riders since the end of the last century. It all began when PUMA signed its first Formula One endorsement agreement with the Williams Team. Over the years, PUMA partnered with other key drivers and teams including Scuderia Ferrari, Red Bull Racing, BMW Sauber F1, Scuderia Toro Rosso, Benetton, Arrows, Prost, BAR-Honda, Renault F1, Sauber Petronas, Jordan Ford, Minardi F1, Panasonic Toyota and Jaguar Racing among others.

In 2009 PUMA enjoyed another memorable season when five out of the ten teams competing in the Formula One 2009 Championships were endorsed by PUMA Scuderia Ferrari, BMW Sauber F1, ING Renault F1, Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso. Red Bull Racing had its most successful season to date in Formula One, winning six races, securing 5 pole positions and finishing runner up in both the Constructors and the Drivers championship. Ferraris Kimi Raikkonen won the Belgian GP and the team finished the season in 4th position. Ducati claimed four MotoGP race victories in 2009 and secured a second place in the Constructors Championship and 4th in the Driver standing.

Through relentless innovation and creativity, PUMA constantly improves the technological needs of the teams and drivers. These pure performance products have also transitioned into cult favourites in the lifestyle and fashion arenas. Last year, Puma introduced the Speedcat 2.9 which continues PUMAs great tradition of Motorsport inspired Lifestyle footwear. Directly inspired by the original Speed Cat, but

taking a flashier approach to the iconic motorsport shoe, PUMA revamped the hero kicking it up a notch with miles of style. GOLF

PUMAs Golf category displayed an ongoing buzz, momentum and growth over the last year while the golf industry itself declined. Their marketing campaign Look better. Feel better. Play better. combined with innovative product introductions in apparel and footwear further boosted PUMAs mark in a sport that had long been perceived as too traditional for cutting-edge fashion.

They introduced the innovative InvisiBonding technology in their Golf apparel line which eliminates traditional stitching by using a bonding process on the seams. In footwear we expanded their range of products that feature the Smart Quill Technology ensuring a lighter and more comfortable feel as well as a better traction. These state-of-the-art performance products in the typical PUMA break-through and unconventional design propelled their PUMA athletes to memorable performances on the course. Geoff Ogilvy, ranked as high as No. 4 in the world in 2009, was a fixture on the top of the PGA Tour and European PGA Tour all season and claimed victories at the Mercedes Championship and the Accenture World Match Play Championship.

PUMA Golf continued to support its own new breed of player one who demands the highest performance and comfort, but who also wants to make a more daring statement than your average, pleated, wrinkle-free khakis will allow. Such players included young and vibrant Anna Nordqvist, who won the first major tournament in PUMAs Golf history on the womens side with capturing the title at the McDonalds LPGA Championship. And finally, PUMA signed former No. 1 amateur in the world Rickie Fowler to a long-term contract to wear PUMA head to toe, paving the way for more exciting PUMA Golf moments to come.

To reinforce their global category positioning, PUMA partnered with the European Tours season ending Race to Dubai tournament. For the events, PUMA introduced the Swing Crown GTX R2D and the CHopper R2D, two limited edition PUMA Golf shoes featuring the graphics of iconic buildings in cities of

each country participating in the Race to Dubai Tournament collectively known as The Race to Dubai skyline. Puma & COBRA GOLF

Cobra Golf is one of the worlds most renowned golf club manufacturers. Tom Crow established the company in 1973 in southern California. The club designer and former Australian amateur golf champion soon developed golfs first utility wood coining it "Baffler" - which set the innovation benchmark for future Cobra product development. What made Baffler so effective, particularly from deep rough, fluffy lies and hard pan, was its patented sole-plate design.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Cobra was the first U.S. equipment manufacturer in several categories. For instance, it was the first to offer stock graphite-shafted woods and irons. The company also introduced the autoclave system, which significantly strengthened graphite shafts via a proprietary compression-curing process. An Australian and former No.1 golfer in the world during the 80s and 90s, purchased an equity share of the company in 1991 and helped Crow design Cobra's first line of forged irons. The next year, Cobra introduced the first full set of oversized irons, which quickly became an entirely new club category in the golf market. Cobra also solidified its presence in the seniors and womens club categories during this time.

The company was thriving and in 1996, American Brands, Inc. parent of golf conglomerate Acushnet Company purchased Cobra and then grouped the brand with its other golf entities Titleist, FootJoy and Pinnacle. That infusion helped Cobra continue as a powerful force in the golf industry. Keeping its mission of offering golfers a competitive performance advantage and functionality through innovative design, Cobra has seen great success with many products ever since, including several iterations of Baffler. The company also developed several key innovations such as 9 Point Face Technology, Adjustable Flight Technology, Multi-Material Technology and Baffler Rail Technology -- that can be found in products throughout Cobras product line.

Over the years, the company has had a noticeable Tour presence, being officially represented and endorsed in the 1990s by many professional golf stars. Cobra clubs were also played by several top PGA Tour money winners who were not compensated to play the equipment but realized they needed it to win. More recently, stars such as Ian Poulter, Camilo Villegas and J.B. Holmes have all captured PGA Tour victories while endorsing the company and its products.

In 2010, PUMA AG purchased Cobra, and created a new company, COBRA-PUMA GOLF. The merger leveraged PUMA Golf's footwear, apparel and accessories designs with Cobra Golfs high performance golf clubs. Being a leading golf equipment manufacturer, Cobra is fully committed to providing superiorquality, high performance products for avid golfers of all abilities. OBRA-PUMA GOLF is a corporate division of PUMA North America. LIFESTYLE

PUMAs Lifestyle category also warmed up in 2009 to be fully ready for the upcoming Football World Cup 2010 in South Africa. The unique mix of Lifestyle and Football leading up to this major sport event on African soil was brought to life through PUMAs collaboration with the New York-based artist Kehinde Wiley. As one of the worlds most sought-after artists, Wileys work stands apart depicting contemporary African American men in poses taken from the annals of art history, while incorporating a distinctive use of elaborate, graphic and colourful wallpaper-like backgrounds. A vibrant new line is inspired by his work and features West African textile prints. The lifestyle collection - that will launch in 2010 - comprises footwear, apparel and accessories and feature Wileys bold, colourful patterns.

PUMA also paid tribute to its heritage in 2009, launching the PUMA Archive website and providing a place for consumers to find their latest creation and educate themselves on PUMAs history and the iconic ambassadors that helped them gain the notoriety they enjoy today. Styles like the PUMA Clyde, Suede, First Round, Roma and Easy Rider generated enormous coverage in both print and online, reconnecting these classic heritage styles with the audience that loves them. PUMA also celebrated a Decade of Sport Fashion during the London Fashion Week in September. Out of sports, out of fashion was the concept behind their successful collaboration with Japanese fashion designer Yasuhiro Mihara.

In Spring/Summer 2010 PUMA by Mihara celebrates its 10th Anniversary making it the longest standing sport-fashion collaboration to date. Throughout these 10 years, PUMA by Mihara has been a constant favourite for both sneaker freaks and fashionistas all over the world, exciting consumers each season with new and unexpected interpretations of the concept of sport-fashion.

In its Sports Fashion Category PUMA furthermore introduced the Urban Mobility Collection with creative direction by Hussein Chalayan. The collection explores the notion of Mobile Life in modern cities, bridging fashion and performance by designing products that offer true solutions to stylish travel through the urban environment, launched for Spring Summer 2010 . PUMA AND FOOTBALL

In 1948 shortly after PUMA was set up the companys founder Rudolf Dassler begins to develop a revolutionary design of a football boot that would ensure the best performance in any weather and on any pitch. The key development sees him fundamentally change the boot's design, replacing traditionally nailed in studs with ones that could be screwed on and off. The result of the development is the PUMA ATOM, the world's first screw-in boot which Dassler launches in 1948-49. In West Germanys first post-war match on November 22, 1950, Herbert Burdenski scores the winning goal against Switzerland wearing the ATOM boot. During two-years of development Dassler works with football experts including former player and future world cup winning manager Sepp Herberger to improve the screw-in stud technology. In 1951, he begins testing the revolutionary innovation on top players from all over Germany. One year later, PUMA begins mass producing the new screw-in stud boot, the SUPER ATOM. The boots are delivered to a host of top players and leading sports shops at the start of the 1952-53 German football season. Seven players from the premier league team FC Kaiserslautern wear the PUMA screw-in stud football boot. The team subsequently wins the league and is crowned champions on June 21, 1953. Among this teams key players are Horst Eckel and Werner Liebrich, whose performances earn them call ups to the German national team. PUMA mentions in its advertising campaign the use of the SUPER ATOM by Germanys national team elite.

The following season, PUMA launches an enhanced version of the

boot. The new model bears the name BRASIL and also features the now proven screw-in stud. The cut of the boot is changed to reduce the weight. Eight Hannover 96 players wear the new Brazil boot. The side go on to clinch the German championship title after victory in the final game of the premier league season on May 23, 1954. After the final, PUMA launches a new advertising campaign that hails the success of the newly developed BRASIL using photos from the final showing Hannover players wearing the PUMA screw-in boots.

PUMA was therefore the first company to launch mass-produced screw-in stud boots, two years prior to Germany's famous 1954 World Cup win in Bern despite claims from the German national team supplier that it had invented the screw-in football boot itself for the 1954 World Cup. It was not long before a new product innovation was launched. In 1958 the WELTMEISTER [WORLD CHAMPION] model was introduced with the newly developed nylon screw-in stud sole. Puma also used its unmistakable trademark curved stripes for the first time. The WELTMEISTER makes its debut in the 1958 world cup final between 17 year old Pele's Brazil and host nation Sweden. The boot is worn by players on both teams and is the only Germanmade football boot in the final.

The WELTMEISTER line is again enhanced to become the PUMA KING in 1968, which marks the beginning of a 40-year success story. In 1960, PUMA notches another technological milestone in its football boot development with a new process called vulcanization, whereby the sole and the shaft of the boot are bonded together during production. The next key development follows ahead of the World Cup in Spain in 1982. The new model TORERO is equipped with a highly flexible DUOFLEX sole with two joint zones. In 1986, the MEXICO FINALE is launched as the first football boot with a removable locking system for the studs built into the sole.

In 1997, PUMA introduces the CELLERATOR, the worlds first cushioned football boot. Its enhanced successor is the PUMA football boot called SHUDOH. Just in time for the 2002 World Cup in Japan/Korea, the new model carries the Japanese name SHUDOH, which translates as Master of Football. Top international players such as Cameroon player Samuel Etoo wear the SHUDOH during the 2002 World Cup. The next product innovation from PUMA arrives in time for the 2006 World Cup: The SPEED BOOT V1.06 is the worlds lightest football boot, weighing

barely 200g. Its technology gets players to the ball faster and gives players time leads of fractions of a second. The extremely thin synthetic ConTec material, its especially developed studs as well as the asymmetrical locking system ensure high speed, stability and the support properties of a leather boot thereby guaranteeing optimal ball control. The new stud configuration as well as an innovative stud design improves the pressure distribution and the boots grip. For the 2008 European Championship, PUMA introduces the successor model v1.08 with a new upper boot material.

The extra thin, lightweight ConTec textile material is provided with a second micro-fleece layer. This makes the lightweight boot more resistant and provides a feel for the ball, grip and high performance. Since its founding, PUMA has always followed its own path in the world of football. Numerous stories from fashion innovation and an individual approach to sports are associated with the companys evolution and development.

One legendary story worth mentioning has to do with the 1974 World Cup in Germany. The Dutch national team played wearing its orange football shirt with the three-stripe trademark of another sports equipment maker on the sleeves. However, Johan Cruyff, the teams captain and star player, had an exclusive agreement with PUMA and felt closely tied to the company and brand. Cruyff refused to play in that shirt and had a special Dutch shirt produced. This version bore only two stripes. Cruyffs team members, the Kerkhof twins, also had an agreement with PUMA, and took Cruyffs lead. Thats how the Shirt with two stripes also came to be worn in the following 1978 World Cup. PUMA also shows its innovative power in organizing sporting events. In 1994, PUMA organizes a new football championship called the PUMA Street Football Cup. The playing field measures only 14 m x 20 m. Each team is made up of three players, a goalie and a substitute. This new kind of event concept becomes an international success. Just two years later, 28 national teams participate in the second PUMA Street Football Cup championship held in London.

One highlight that underscores PUMAs innovation and individuality occurs during the 2002 World Cup in Japan/South Korea. The indomitable lions from the Cameroon national team play in the opening game against the Congo wearing an up-to-date, unique sleeveless football shirt produced by PUMA, which attracts a great deal of attention worldwide. However, the shirt does not meet FIFA conventions: No sleeves, no shirt. No shirt, no game, is FIFAs ruling. In the subsequent games, the Cameroon team

wear sleeve inserts, yet among football fans and fashion fans, the Cameroon Sleeveless Shirt sells like hot cakes. With the development of a one-piece football shirt, PUMA ultimately revolutionizes football fashion. In its first group game in the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations, the Cameroon national team appears in the new PUMA one-piece shirt. It has a body-fitting form and feels like a second skin, making it difficult for the team's opponents to illegally grab onto and hold the shirt during play. The international football association FIFA wants to ban the use of the one-piece shirt during the course of the tournament. It penalizes Cameroon with a deduction of six points in the World Cup qualifying rounds and imposes a fine. With the payment of the fine and a campaign keenly watched around the world, PUMA continues to sponsor Cameroon and shows FIFA its claws. PUMA takes FIFA to court to fight the ban. The legal dispute with FIFA ends in an out-of-court settlement. The parties agree on a joint donation for a football development aid project in Cameroon.

This and many other examples from sports history show that PUMA has remained true to the course it set for itself in the world of football and that it is responsible for combining influences from sport, lifestyle and fashion with values such as individuality and uniqueness. 60 years of PUMA 60 years of international football sponsorship

Since its founding, PUMA has been active as an international football sponsor and equipment supplier to players and teams. As early as 1950, players from the German national team wear PUMA boots in their first football game after the Second World War. For the 1958 World Cup held in Sweden, players from the Brazilian and Swedish teams play wearing football boots from PUMA. In the following World Cup in Chile in 1962, the Brazilian superstar Pel wears PUMA football boots and leads the team to become the World Cup champions and the Player of the Tournament. Four years later, the Portuguese player Eusbio is a top goal scorer and is also named Player of the Tournament. He is the first to wear the predecessor of todays legendary PUMA KING, which is later worn by international football stars like Diego Maradona during subsequent World Cup tournaments (see attached press release). Top international football players include French national player Robert Pires, who, in 2002, after one season with Arsenal, is named Footballer of the Year in England. In the same year, Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon signs an equipment agreement with PUMA. During the 2002 World Cup in Japan/Korea, PUMA player El Hadji Diouf is selected by FIFA to the All Star Team team of the World Cup. The Korean player Ahn Jung-

hwan knocks Italy out of the competition with a Golden Goal, thus securing the host country a spot in the semi-finals.

For the 2006 World Cup, PUMA renews its partnership with football legend Pel, who was sponsored by PUMA during his active years as a player and now advertises for PUMA as its World Cup ambassador. Over many years, I have developed a close relationship with the PUMA brand, Pel said at the time. Now I am happy to collaborate on various projects in the run-up to the World Cup, together with PUMA. About PUMAs qualities as an equipment supplier, Pel said: PUMA and football, its like a big family. Everyone knows that PUMA and football are related to one another. In addition to numerous individual players, PUMA has been successfully equipping and sponsoring teams for many years. Its first partner in 1950 is the team Spielvereinigung Frth (current name: Spielvereinigung Greuther Frth), which becomes the German football champion three times in the years 1914, 1926 and 1929. In 1988 and 1993, the PUMA team SV Werder Bremen wins the German Championship and in 1994 the German Football Federation Cup.

During the same year, the Argentine team and PUMA partner Velez Sarsfield wins the World Club Championship in Tokyo with a 2-0 victory over A.C. Milan. Its winning streak is still going strong even one year later. Real Saragossa wins the UEFA Cup Winners Cup wearing the PUMA shirt. In 1995, the PUMA team Atltico Madrid comes first in the Spanish premier league and wins the Spanish League Cup. The Italian team S. S. Lazio Rom also scores a major victory in 1999 when it wins the UEFA Cup Winners Cup and then, in the following year, winning the league in Italy, the League Cup and the Italys Super Cup. PUMA has sponsored the Italian national team since 2002. In 2004, it introduces an innovative team shirt in collaboration with the designer and creative director of the ITALIA Collection, Neil Barrett. The 2006 World Cup held in Germany is a high point of the decade-long string of successes for PUMA. As a leading sponsor and equipment supplier, PUMA supplies 12 of the 32 participating teams: Italy, the Czech Republic, Poland, Switzerland, Paraguay, Saudi Arabia, Iran as well as the five African teams, Tunisia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Angola and Togo. PUMA thus achieves a brand presence in 56 percent of all games during the World Cup and is the most heavily represented brand compared to the competition. Moreover, for the first time in the company's history, a team sponsored by PUMA wins the World Cup Championship. Italys Squadra Azzurra beats France 5-3 in a penalty shoot-out on July 9, 2006 in the World Cup final held in Berlin, becoming the World champions for the fourth time. In 2007, the PUMA

team VfB Stuttgart wins the German Championship.

In its anniversary year of 2008, PUMA once again shows its strong position as a football equipment provider by having five teams represent it in the 2008 European Football Championship tournament. In addition to World Cup champions Italy, Poland, the Czech Republic as well as host countries Switzerland and Austria appear wearing the companys trademark cat on their shirts. For many years, PUMA has also been a leading sports equipment supplier and sponsor for African football and has shown that its commitment to the African Continent is just as ambitious as the passion of Africans for football itself. In 1997, PUMA signs an equipment supply agreement with the Cameroon football association FECAFOOT and becomes the equipment supplier and sponsor for its national team. The Cameroon team wins the 2000 African Cup of Nations during a penalty shoot-out against Lagos. Six months later, the team wins the countrys first-ever gold medal at the Olympic Summer Games in Sydney, Australia. PUMA supports the success of the Cameroon team with an advertising campaign for the 2002 World Cup, which focuses on the national team. During the same year, the team of indomitable lions once again wins the Africa Cup of Nations. The equipment supply agreement with PUMA is extended in 2006. For the 2006 World Cup, PUMA begins a cooperation with the campaign UNITED FOR AFRICA. The goal of the cooperation is to use original advertising spots to draw attention to UNITED FOR AFRICA and to generate donations for 30 active aid organizations in Africa. PUMA creates a charity collection exclusively for this partnership. From the sales price of each collection item, PUMA donates an amount, transparently listed for the customer to see, to UNITED FOR AFRICA. The highlight of the cooperation is the UNITED FOR AFRICA streetcar, a concept developed by both partners. Equipped with special informational and interaction options, the streetcar drives through Berlin advertising for the campaign. Both in the streetcars as well as in the Berlin Caf Moscow, PUMAs football headquarters for the World Cup, there are numerous events held with prominent artists and athletes.

In 2007, PUMA once again expands its portfolio as an equipment supplier and sponsor of African teams. It becomes partners with the Moroccan and Namibian national football associations. Furthermore, PUMA supports the global Peace One Day campaign with a new and exclusive football collection. The joint, long-term goal is to establish a day of cease-fire and freedom from violence worldwide. The UN

General Assembly chooses September 21 as this International Day of Peace. The launch of the Peace One Day Collection is held in January 2008 during the Africa Cup of Nations football tournament.

2010: PUMA will turn the Football Word Cup in South Africa into a home match The year 2010 will be marked by the Football World Cup in Africa, PUMAs home-away-from home. PUMA has a successful start into the World Cup year when Egypts national team beats Ghana in an all-PUMA final at the Africa Cup in Angola, claiming the title for the third successive time and for the seventh time overall. PUMA wins the tournament for the sixth time in a row. The Sportlifestyle company is also the Official Fan Supplier of the tournament for the first time and gains outstanding brand visibility as the sponsor of 10 out of 16 teams. PUMA has enjoyed more than a decade of close partnerships and collaborations with African football federations and sponsors 13 African teams, including the FIFA World Cup 2010 qualified teams of Ghana, Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Algeria. Current World Champion Italy, as well as Uruguay and Switzerland, will also sport the leaping cat logo on South African pitches. PUMA AND AFRICA Celebrating over a Decade of Commitment to the Continent 1997

PUMA signs Cameroon.

1999

PUMA signs Egypt PUMA signs Cameroon player, Samuel Eto'o

2000

Cameroon wins the African Cup of Nations. Samuel Eto'o is voted the Confederation of African Football's 'Young African Player of the Year' Cameroon wins Gold in the Olympic Games

2002

PUMA signs Tunisia

Cameroon wins the African Cup of Nations in sleeveless shirts. The kits are subsequently banned by FIFA prompting PUMA to add black sleeves to their jerseys

2004

PUMA signs Mozambique The Cameroon one-piece UniQT is introduced at the African Cup of Nations. Due to the UniQT kit, a 6 point deduction from Cameroon's 2006 World Cup Qualification is repealed by FIFA PUMA team Tunisia wins the Africa Cup of Nations, ahead of fellow participating PUMA teams Cameroon and Egypt Samuel Eto'o is voted the Confederation of African Football's 'African Player of the Year'

2005

PUMA signs Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Togo PUMA enters into partnership with United for Africa, a campaign of over 30 aid organizations aiming to improve living conditions in Africa Samuel Eto'o is voted the Confederation of African Football's 'African Player of the Year'

2006

PUMA signs Angola and Ghana PUMA team Egypt wins African Cup of Nations. Other PUMA teams participating: Angola, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Togo and Tunisia PUMA signs Ivory Coast player Emmanuel Ebou PUMA launches the v1.06 concept with an African inspired global marketing campaign. All African participants at the World Cup, Angola, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo and Tunisia, are sponsored by PUMA

2007

PUMA signs Morocco and Namibia PUMA begins a long-term partnership with Peace One Day, an organization that declares September 21st an annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence

2008

PUMA is the leading supplier of the 2008 African Cup of Nations, outfitting nine of the sixteen teams Egypt wins the African Cup of Nations PUMA and the Ghana Football Association (GFA) announce a multi-year extension of their successful partnership through the 2014 FIFA World Cup

puma.peace and the global organization Peace One Day celebrate the International Day of Peace on September 21st puma.peace and One Day One Goal facilitate over 400 peace games played in Africa and across the globe PUMA produces 150,000 pieces using African cotton to support local farmers PUMA introduces Fair Trade certified footballs to endorse a campaign focusing on the prevention of juvenile delinquency in South Africa The launch of PUMA. Creative Mobility Award program sends over 220 artists and art professionals to important African cultural events

2009

puma.creative launches a social network for African artists, Creative African Network. To learn more visit www.creativeafricanetwork.com PUMA CEO Jochen Zeitz announces the Zeitz Foundation an intercultural ecosphere safety foundation with representation in Germany, the United States, the UK and Kenya PUMA and Peace One Day host One Day One Goal football matches in all 192 UN member states, including 52 countries in Africa PUMA partners with Africa Express and awards 125 African musicians with Mobility Grants to participate in the concert in Paris, France PUMA produces 1 million pieces using African cotton, supporting local farmers PUMA launches the v1.10 product line inspired by African football. It is supported by the Love = Football campaign set in Africa and features African football stars such as Samuel Eto'o, Emmanuel Ebou, John Mensah and Chinedou Obasi

2010

PUMA and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announce a strategic partnership to support the International Year of Biodiversity biodiversity. To support this global cause, PUMA unveils the revolutionary new Africa Unity Kit, the worlds first continental football kit designed to be worn by all African football national teams that PUMA sponsors PUMA team Egypt wins the Orange Africa Cup of Nations for the third successive time and the seventh time overall. This is the sixth consecutive time that a PUMA team has won the tournament. Ten of the 16 teams are being sponsored by PUMA.

Innovative marketing

Outstanding performances of PUMA athletes and teams have strongly influenced international sports through innovative PUMA products and creative marketing initiatives for more than 60 years. Milestones in PUMAs sports history were the development of the first football boot with screwin studs in 1952 by the companys founder Rudolf Dassler, the legendary two-stripe jersey of Johan Cruyff at the world championship in 1974, the PUMA contact lenses of Linford Christie in 1996, the skin-tight Catsuit tennis dress of Serena Williams at the US Open 2002, the revolutionary one-piece Cameroon football shirt in 2004, the Italian national team winning the Football World Cup in 2006, Ferrari with its seven-times world champion, most successful Formula 1 pilot and PUMA partner Michael Schumacher, who dominated the sports for years, the world records of sprint hero Usain Bolt as well as the Volvo Ocean Race, the Everest of Sailing that PUMAs eye-catching sailing yacht il mostro finished in second place in 2009.Through creativity and innovative products PUMA has always set standards in sports and style. Partnerships with federations such as Jamaica, Italy and in Africa provided the brand with the opportunity to lead the way in creative and innovative global sports marketing. PUMA was not only able to strengthen its positioning as a sportlifestyle brand, but created a whole new market by establishing the segment sportlifestyle. Football As early as in 1952, PUMA set the first milestone on the pitch by developing the Super Atom, the first massproduced football boot with screw-in studs. Eight players of German premier league club Hannover 96 sported the new massproduced boots during the final of the German Premier League Championship in May 1954 and heralded a new era of football boot development - well before Germanys famous World Cup win in Bern in July that year. A story to remember is the legendary Two-Stripe Jersey that the captain of the Dutch national team Johan Cruyff created at the World Cup 1974. The Dutch player refused to play in a threestripe shirt because he felt closely connected to his sponsor PUMA. He created a unique Dutch two-stripe jersey which debuted in the final of the World Cup in Munich. When Jochen Zeitz took the helm in 1993, he launched a new brand strategy which turned PUMA into the most desirable sportlifestyle brand through successfully fusing influences from sports, lifestyle and fashion. The epitome of the new sportlifestyle segment was PUMAs cooperation with designer Jil Sander in 1998 when PUMA combined - as the first sports brand ever - sports and style. The newly introduced trend found its way onto the international catwalks and especially onto the football pitches where PUMA set new standards for sports fashion and established the sportlifestyle segment.

Legendary examples of PUMAs sports fashion were the coloured football boots at the World Cup in France in 1998 and the sleeveless jerseys, sported by the Cameroon national team at the African Cup of Nations and the World Cup in 2002. The football fashion was further revolutionized, when the Cameroon team played in one-piece jerseys for the first time ever at the African Cup of Nations in 2004. The one-piece kits caused a worldwide media stir and the international football federation FIFA sued PUMA, trying to ban the sensational jerseys. PUMAs successful fusion of sports and style within the realm of football was crowned when the Italian national team won the World Cup in 2006: The Squadra Azzurra represents the perfect combination of athletic world class and fashionable flair, further extending PUMAs position as one of the three leading football brands. As the partner of 13 African football federations, PUMA has not only been the leading sponsor in Africa for many years, but has also used the continent to launch its most innovative products. The joy of the game, aesthetics, passion and culture are African values that PUMA also stands for. The World Cup offers a unique platform for PUMA to demonstrate its long-term commitment to African football and the continent. While Africa has been carrying the stigma of conflicts and poverty in the global press, PUMA has always emphasized the positives of the prospects and uniqueness of the continent.

In January 2010, PUMA entered into a partnership with the Environment Programme of the United Nations (UNEP) to protect biodiversity. The joint Play for Life campaign was launched to support projects in Africa and elsewhere. To fund this initiative, PUMA launched the Africa Unity Kit, the worlds first continental football kit designed to be worn by the 13 African football national teams that PUMA sponsors. Running PUMA has always been successful in finding the right partners, who perfectly reflect and convey the image of the brand around the world. Sprint superstar Usain Bolt and the Jamaican track and field team perfectly embody that sports, fun and style have always been key elements in PUMAs brand strategy. At the Olympic Games 2008 in Beijing, Usain Bolt set a 100m world record of 9.69 seconds, smashing his own mark from May that year and sprinted 200m in the world record time of 19.30 seconds, beating Michael Johnsons 1996 record by two hundredths of a second. He won his third gold medal as Jamaica shattered the world record in the 4x100m relay in 37.10 seconds. In close collaboration with Usain Bolt, PUMA developed the Theseus II, the ultimate running shoe. Running both the 100m and 200m, the Jamaican sprinter needed a versatile shoe that provided support for power, as well as firmness to hold his foot in place around the turn. PUMA produced a gold version of the shoe for Beijing, which helped power him through the greatest sprints of his life so far. At the World Athletics Championships 2009 in Berlin, Usain Bolt wrote sports history again when he smashed the 100m and 200m world records. The PUMA Yaam sprint spike that propelled him to victory was developed by a team of PUMA designers and technicians who studied and measured Bolts stride and foot form. The vibrant orange sprint spike, designed to contrast the Olympic Stadiums signature blue track and Usains way of achieving outstanding performances, mixing sport and style, caused a global stir. Sailing At sea, PUMA participated with an own boat in one of the worlds toughest sailing races, the Volvo Ocean Race in 2008. As the first multi-category company, PUMA entered into sailing and combined high performance sports with cutting-edge

technology, styling and adventure. The 11-men strong crew the PUMA Ocean Racing Team raced 10 legs and visited 10 countries in Africa, Asia, South and North America. During nine months, they covered 37,000 nautical miles (68,524 km) before finishing the race in second place in June 2009 in St. Petersburg. Over 5 million people visited the Volvo Ocean Race stopover villages and witnessed PUMAs il mostro, PUMA City and PUMAs innovative market initiatives. PUMA used the 11 port destinations of the Race to activate complex onshore marketing strategies. Such activities set a new marketing benchmark in the growing sport of sailing. At the same time, while the sport of sailing is often perceived to be very exclusive, PUMA aimed to break down this misconception. PUMAs retail expertise manifested itself by providing a unique shopping experience in PUMA City, a mobile architecture at the stop-over ports. Retail expectations were exceeded, after sales in PUMA City on a single day in Boston topped daily sales in any PUMA store ever worldwide. PUMA City is an innovative, mobile container building and has accompanied the sailing crew during parts of the Race, being shipped to and assembled at the stop-over ports in Alicante and Boston to host celebrations, press events, entertainment and in-port race viewing. Motorsport In Motorsports, PUMA underpinned its excellent competence to combine top performance sports with lifestyle when it developed highly functional Formula 1 collections as the first sports brand ever. With the support of Ferrari and Michael Schumacher as well as a strong portfolio of other racing teams, PUMA successfully established Motorsports as a new segment within a short time and became the leading Formula 1 sponsor. Formula 1 driver Sebastian Vettel caused a sensation in 2008 when the 21-year old won the race in Monza, wearing golden PUMA shoes, and became the youngest Formula 1 champion in history.

Tennis On the international tennis courts, PUMA caused a stir in 2002, when the company dressed the top player Serena Williams in a skin-tight black catsuit at the US Open in New York and changed the fashion in a sport that had seen players traditionally dress in white. In 1998, PUMA took the then 16-year old American tennis player under contract and went together with her all the way from rank 42 to number one in the world tennis ranking list.

Background
Founded in Herzogenaurach, Germany in 1948, PUMA is one of the worlds largest providers of Sportlifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories. The PUMA Group owns the brands PUMA, Cobra Golf and Tretorn. The company distributes its products in more than 120 countries and employs more than 9,000 people worldwide. It is committed to working in ways that contribute to the world by supporting Creativity, Sustainability and Peace, and by staying true to the principles of being Fair, Honest, Positive and Creative in decisions made and actions taken.

Over the years, PUMA has stayed true to its four cornerstones: heritage, sport, technological innovation and design. The brand is focusing on bringing distinctive designs and a global outlook to each product range by blending influences of sport, lifestyle and fashion. This fusion is known as Sportlifestyle. PUMA views sport as a philosophy on life one that emphasizes fitness, wellness and simply living an active life. Since Sport can be different things to different people, PUMA approaches it in a greaterlifestyle context, while not compromising performance. This is exactly what the brand means when it speaks of Sportlifestyle.

In 1993, at the age of thirty, Jochen Zeitz was appointed chairman & CEO. Zeitz has Spearheaded and held primary responsibility for the worldwide restructuring of PUMA, which was in financial difficulties at the time. He reached the first major milestone within his first year as CEO, when PUMA delivered its first profitable performance since 1986, posting consolidated sales of 210 million Euros with an EBIT of 23 million Euros in 1994. In 2009, PUMA reached net earnings of 128 million Euros and consolidated sales of 2.5 billion Euros. The share price rose from 8.6 Euros in 1993 to an all time high of 350 Euros in April 2007. Zeitz managed to turn PUMA from a low price brand into a premium Sportlifestyle company and one of the top 3 brands in the sporting good industry by sticking to a long-term development plan that he introduced in 1993. In 2007, French luxury group PPR, one of the worlds top fashion and retail companies, acquired more than 60 percent of PUMA. With the support of PPR, PUMA plans to strengthen its position as the leading company in the Sportlifestyle market with a continued focus on long-term sustainable growth.

With the objective of being "The Most Desirable and Sustainable Sportlifestyle Company, PUMA's position as one of the few, true multi-category brands is to be strengthened and the opportunities

offered by the sport lifestyle market are to be systematically exploited in all categories and regions. As a multi-category supplier, PUMA is active in categories and business fields/divisions that suit its unique brand positioning, and in which permanent value increases can be achieved for the company. PUMA Vision forms the guiding principle for PUMA and their global partnerships and commitments. It combines the concepts and initiatives of PUMA with respect to entrepreneurial sustainability and social responsibility. The four principles of PUMA Vision, fair, honest, positive and creative constitute the compass of their company, employees, partners and target groups with respect to all their decisions. PUMA Vision reflects their vision of a better world - a world that is more peaceful, safer, and more creative than the world that we know today.

Brand positioning

Brand positioning refers to target consumers reason to buy your brand in preference to others. It is ensures that all brand activity has a common aim; is guided, directed and delivered by the brands benefits/reasons to buy; and it focusses at all points of contact with the consumer. Brand positioning must make sure that:

Is it unique/distinctive vs. competitors ? Is it significant and encouraging to the niche market ? Is it appropriate to all major geographic markets and businesses ? Is the proposition validated with unique, appropriate and original products ? Is it sustainable - can it be delivered constantly across all points of contact with the consumer ? Is it helpful for organization to achieve its financial goals ? Is it able to support and boost up the organization ?

In order to create a distinctive place in the market, a niche market has to be carefully chosen and a differential advantage must be created in their mind. Brand positioning is a medium through which an organization can portray its customers what it wants to achieve for them and what it wants to mean to them. Brand positioning forms customers views and opinions. Brand Positioning can be defined as an activity of creating a brand offer in such a manner that it occupies a distinctive place and value in the target customers mind. For instance-Kotak Mahindra positions itself in the customers mind as one entity- Kotak - which can provide customized and one-stop solution for all their financial services needs. It has an unaided top of mind recall. It intends to stay with the proposition of Think Investments, Think Kotak. The positioning you choose for your brand will be influenced by the competitive stance you want to adopt. Brand Positioning involves identifying and determining points of similarity and difference to ascertain the right brand identity and to create a proper brand image. Brand Positioning is the key of marketing strategy. A strong brand positioning directs marketing strategy by explaining the brand details, the uniqueness of brand and its similarity with the competitive brands, as well as the reasons for buying and using that specific brand. Positioning is the base for developing and increasing the required knowledge and perceptions of the customers. It is the single feature that sets your service apart from your competitors. For instance- Kingfisher stands for youth and excitement. It represents brand in full flight. There are various positioning errors, such as1. Under positioning- This is a scenario in which the customers have a blurred and unclear idea of the brand.

2. Over positioning- This is a scenario in which the customers have too limited a awareness of the brand. 3. Confused positioning- This is a scenario in which the customers have a confused opinion of the brand. 4. Double Positioning- This is a scenario in which customers do not accept the claims of a brand.