Post by Admin on Dec 10, 2015 22:51:44 GMT
HOW much do you know about the ownership behind the name brands you wear and the sports they OWN/Pay for to take posession of your souls? Some sell their entire lives for a one-time $500 shot; others sell their souls to wear someone else's LABEL. YOU ARE buying their products, to pay Them, to advetise Their brand. That's one step beyond free advertising.
Who are you helping get ahead in business? Why?
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Puma SE
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puma_SE
Puma SE (officially branded as PUMA) is a major German multinational company that produces athletic and casual footwear, as well as sportswear, headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany. The company was formed in 1924 as Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik by Adolf and Rudolf Dassler. The relationship between the two brothers deteriorated until the two agreed to split in 1948, forming two separate entities, Adidas and Puma. Both companies are currently based in Herzogenaurach, Germany.
Puma makes football boots and has sponsored a number of footballers, including Pelé, Eusébio, Johan Cruyff, Diego Maradona, Lothar Matthäus, Kenny Dalglish, Thierry Henry, Robert Pirès, Adam Lallana, Radamel Falcao, Sergio Agüero, Cesc Fàbregas, Olivier Giroud, Marco Reus, Marco Verratti, Gianluigi Buffon, Mario Balotelli and Diego Godín. Puma is the sponsor of the Jamaican track athlete Usain Bolt. The first endorser for Asian Region is Luhan, a Chinese actor and singer. In the United States, the company is known for the suede basketball shoe it introduced in 1968, which eventually bore the name of New York Knicks basketball star Walt "Clyde" Frazier, and for its endorsement partnership with Joe Namath.
Following the split from his brother, Rudolf Dassler originally registered the new-established company as Ruda, but later changed the name to Puma. Puma's earliest logo consisted of a square and beast jumping through a D, which was registered, along with the company's name, in 1948. Puma's shoe and clothing designs feature the Puma logo and the distinctive "Formstrip" .
The company offers lines of shoes and sports clothing designed by Lamine Kouyate, Amy Garbers, and others. Since 1996 Puma has intensified its activities in the United States. Puma owns 25% of American brand sports clothing maker Logo Athletic, which is licensed by American professional basketball and association football leagues.
Since 2007 Puma has been part of French group Kering (formerly known as Pinault-Printemps-Redoute or PPR).
Puma also manufactures other products such as clothes and bags. Most of them have a tag that includes a fingertip design and phrases like 'Always be yourself' and 'Wash this when dirty'.
History
Background
Christoph von Wilhelm Dassler was a worker in a shoe factory, while his wife Pauline ran a small laundry in the Bavarian town of Herzogenaurach, 20 km (12.4 mi) from the city of Nuremberg. After leaving school, their son, Rudolf Dassler, joined his father at the shoe factory. When he returned from fighting in World War I, Rudolf received a management position at a porcelain factory, and later in a leather wholesale business in Nuremberg.
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Herzogenaurach
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herzogenaurach
Herzogenaurach, Germany
- Adidas factory outlet in Herzogenaurach
- PUMAVision Headquarters in Herzogenaurach
Herzogenaurach (East Franconian: Herziaura) is a town in the district of Erlangen-Höchstadt, in Bavaria, Germany. It is best known for being the home of the sporting goods companies Adidas and Puma, as well as the large car parts manufacturer Schaeffler Group.
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Rudolf returned to Herzogenaurach in 1924 to join his younger brother, Adolf, nicknamed "Adi", who had founded his own shoe factory. They named the new business "Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik" (Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory). The pair started their venture in their mother's laundry. At the time, electricity supplies in the town were unreliable, and the brothers sometimes had to use pedal power from a stationary bicycle to run their equipment.
Adolf drove from Bavaria to the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin with a suitcase full of spikes and persuaded United States sprinter Jesse Owens to use them, the first sponsorship for an African American. Owens won four gold medals. Business boomed; the Dasslers were selling 200,000 pairs of shoes annually before World War II.
Company split and creation of Puma
Both brothers joined the Nazi Party, but Rudolf was slightly closer to the party. A growing rift between the brothers reached a breaking point during a 1943 Allied bomb attack. Adi and his wife climbed into a bomb shelter that Rudolf and his family were already in. "Here are the bloody bastards again," Adi said, apparently referring to the Allied war planes, but Rudolf was convinced his brother meant him and his family. When Rudolf was later picked up by American soldiers and accused of being a member of the Waffen SS, he was convinced that his brother had turned him in.
The brothers split the business in 1948. Rudolf moved to the other side of the Aurach River to start his own company. Adolf started his own sportswear company using a name he formed using his nickname—Adi—and the first three letters of his last name—Das—to establish Adidas. Rudolf created a new firm that he called "Ruda", from "Ru" in Rudolf and "Da" in Dassler. Rudolf's company changed its name to Puma Schuhfabrik Rudolf Dassler in 1948.
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Rudolf Dassler
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Dassler
Rudolf Dassler (26 March 1898, Herzogenaurach, (Germany) - 27 October 1974, Herzogenaurach) was the German founder of the sportswear company Puma and the older brother of Adidas founder, Adolf "Adi" Dassler. The brothers were partners in a shoe company Adi started, Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik (Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory). Rudi joined in 1924, however the brothers became rivals following World War II and started their own companies in 1948.
Initially calling the new company "Ruda" (Rudolf Dassler), it was soon changed to its present name of Puma. Puma is the native Quechua word for cougar, from there it went into German as well as other languages, such as Spanish, French, Russian, Romanian, Portuguese, Italian, Polish, Czech, Swedish, Bulgarian, Danish, Norwegian, Serbian and Slovene.
Adolf Dassler started to produce sports shoes in his mother's wash kitchen after his return from World War I. His father, Christoph, who worked in a shoe factory, and the brothers Zehlein, who produced the handmade spikes for track shoes in their blacksmith's shop, supported Adolf in starting his own business. In 1924, Rudolf joined the business, which became the Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik (Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory). Rudolf was affectionately known as 'Bobby' because this was the only sound that he could make for the first three years of his life.
With the rise of Adolf Hitler in the 1930s, both Dassler brothers joined the Nazi Party, with Rudolf reputed as being the more ardent National Socialist. Rudolf was drafted, and later captured, while Adolf stayed behind to produce boots for the Wehrmacht. During the war, a growing rift between the pair reached a breaking point after an Allied bomb attack in 1943 when Adi and his wife climbed into a bomb shelter that Rudolf and his family were already in: "The dirty bastards are back again," Adi said, apparently referring to the Allied war planes, but Rudolf was convinced his brother meant him and his family. Rudolf, upon his capture by American troops, was suspected of being a member of the SS, information supposedly supplied by Adolf.
Under his direction, Puma remained a small provincial company. Only under the direction of his son, Armin Dassler, did it become the worldwide known company it remains today.
Rudi Dassler died on 27 October 1974 of lung cancer at the age of 76.
See also
German inventors and discoverers
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Early years and rivalry with Adidas
Puma and Adidas entered a fierce and bitter rivalry after the split. The town of Herzogenaurach was divided on the issue, leading to the nickname "the town of bent necks"—people looked down to see which shoes strangers wore. Even the town's two football clubs were divided: ASV Herzogenaurach club supported Adidas, while 1 FC Herzogenaurach endorsed Rudolf's footwear. When handymen were called to Rudolf's home, they would deliberately wear Adidas shoes. Rudolf would tell them to go to the basement and pick out a pair of free Pumas. The two brothers never reconciled, and although both are buried in the same cemetery, they are buried at opposite ends as far away from each other as possible.
In 1948, the first football match after World War II, several members of the West German national football team wore Puma boots, including the scorer of West Germany's first post-war goal, Herbert Burdenski. Four years later, at the 1952 Summer Olympics, 1500 metres runner Josy Barthel of Luxembourg won Puma's first Olympic gold in Helsinki, Finland.
At the 1960 Summer Olympics Puma paid German sprinter Armin Hary to wear Pumas in the 100 metre sprint final. Hary had worn Adidas before and asked Adolf for payment, but Adidas rejected this request. The German won gold in Pumas, but then laced up Adidas for the medals ceremony, to the shock of the two Dassler brothers. Hary hoped to cash in from both, but Adi was so enraged he banned the Olympic champion.
The Pelé pact and subsequent affairs
A few months prior to the 1970 FIFA World Cup, Armin Dassler (Rudolf's son) and his cousin, Horst Dassler (Adi's son), sealed an agreement which was dubbed "The Pelé pact". This agreement dictated that soccer player Pelé would be out of bounds for both Adidas and Puma. However, Pelé complied with a request by Puma's representative Hans Henningsen to increase the awareness and profile of Puma after he received $120,000 to wear the Formstrips. At the opening whistle of a 1970 World Cup finals match, Pelé stopped the referee with a last-second request to tie his shoelaces before kneeling down to give millions of television viewers a close-up of his Pumas. This outraged Horst, and future peace agreements were called off.
Two years later, during the 1972 Summer Olympics, Puma provided shoes for the Ugandan 400 metres hurdles champion, John Akii-Bua. After Akii-Bua was forced out of Uganda by its military government, Puma employed him in Germany. Eventually Akii-Bua returned to Uganda.
Puma became a public company in 1986, and thereafter was listed on the Börse München and Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
In May 1989, Rudolf's sons Armin and Gerd Dassler agreed to sell their 72 percent stake in Puma to Swiss business Cosa Liebermann SA.
Present day
For the fiscal year 2003, the company had revenue of €1.274 billion. Puma were the commercial sponsors for the 2002 anime series Hungry Heart: Wild Striker, with the jerseys and clothing sporting the Puma brand. Puma ranks as one of the top shoe brands with Adidas and Nike.
The company has been led by CEO and Chairman Jochen Zeitz since 1993. His contract was extended until 2012 in October 2007.
Japanese fashion guru Mihara Yasuhiro teamed up with Puma to create a high-end and high-concept line of sneakers.
Puma is the main producer of enthusiast driving shoes and race suits. They are the primary producer for Formula One and NASCAR clothing. They won the rights to sponsor the 2006 FIFA World Cup champions, the Italian national football team, making and sponsoring the clothing worn by the team. They entered a partnership with Ferrari, Ducati and BMW to make Puma-Ferrari, Puma-Ducati and Puma-BMW shoes. On 15 March 2007 Puma launched its 2007/2008 line of uniforms for a club, and Brazilian football club Grêmio will be the first to use the laser-sewn technology, similar to that worn by Italy at the 2006 World Cup, because their season starts six months earlier than European clubs.
Rihanna was named Creative Director of Puma overseeing direction of the womenswear line in December 2014.
As of 2014, Puma SE employs more than 10,000 people worldwide and distributes its products in more than 120 countries.
Special editions of King football boots
In 2008 Puma commemorated the 40th anniversary of the "King" model of boots with a special anniversary edition, the King XL (XL is 40 in Roman Numerals), a tribute to Portuguese footballer Eusébio, who scored 42 goals with King boots in 1968, winning the Golden Boot Award as Europe's leading scorer. Puma has continued to release new versions of the King range, and released a version in 2009 to celebrate the history of Italian soccer, and in particular the Puma King XL Italia, in honour of double World Cup winning coach Vittorio Pozzo.
In 2010 a Puma King model was released commemorating the 50th birthday of Diego Maradona, with a model called the Puma King Diego Finale football boot. This edition was created in the colours of La Albiceleste, the Argentina National football team.
Takeover by PPR
In February 2007 Puma reported that its profits had fallen by 26% to €32.8 million ($43 million; £22 million) during the final three months of 2006. Most of the decline in profits was due to higher costs linked to its expansion; sales rose by more than a third to €480.6 million.
In early April 2007 Puma's shares rose €29.25 per share, or about 10.2%, at €315.24 per share.
On 10 April 2007 French retailer and owner of Gucci brand Pinault-Printemps-Redoute (PPR) announced that it had bought a 27% stake in Puma, clearing the way for a full takeover. The deal values Puma at €5.3 billion. PPR said that it would launch a "friendly" takeover for Puma, worth €330 a share, once the acquisition of the smaller stake was completed. The board of Puma welcomed the move, saying it was fair and in the firm's best interests.
As of July 2007 PPR owns over 60% of Puma stock.
In July 2011 the company completed a conversion from an Aktiengesellschaft (German public limited company) to a Societas Europaea, the European Union-wide equivalent, changing its name from Puma AG Rudolf Dassler Sport to Puma SE. At the same time, Franz Koch replaced the long-serving Jochen Zeitz as the firm's CEO, with Zeitz becoming chairman.
Controversy
Employment practices
Unbalanced scales.jpg
The neutrality of this section is disputed. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until conditions to do so are met. (October 2012)
Organizations that were promoting fair trade and worker's rights did not criticize Puma's employment practices in their developing world factories, predominantly relating to workers in China, Turkey, El Salvador, and Indonesia.
Puma, like many globalised corporations, believes that "labour flexibility remains one of the key components to ensure that individual companies survive and grow". These "flexible" labour practices allow the company to manufacture quickly and cheaply, but often under exploitative conditions.
Freedom of association
Puma’s 2009 supplier list included close to 350 suppliers, the majority of which are located in Asia, predominately China, followed by Vietnam. In these locations, Puma reports that the rights of freedom of association and collective bargaining have been difficult to enforce. According to human rights and labour organisations, Puma does not have adequate policies in place to encourage suppliers to recognise workers' union rights. Puma does not require suppliers to allow their workers to form a union, nor does it require suppliers to sign union access agreements.
Puma frequently has short term contracts with its suppliers, which means that at any time it can leave an area, and its workers, if they can source their products more cheaply elsewhere. This lack of stability does not give supplier factories a good incentive to respect workers' rights. For instance, in 2004 Puma decided to stop ordering garments from the Lian Thai factory in Thailand just after the factory had agreed to cease discrimination against trade union members. In another incident, following the formation of an independent union at one of Puma’s Mexican suppliers, the company cut orders from the factory.
Puma has not taken action to minimise the use of short term contracts, though the prevalence of these contracts creates an atmosphere of economic insecurity and makes it difficult for workers to organise.
Low wages
In a number of regions, sportswear workers producing for Puma have been increasingly vocal about the serious inadequacy of their wages. Puma has not yet made a full commitment to pay a living wage. Puma is currently undertaking research into finding a practical solution to the problem of low wages in Asia, and is working with suppliers in Indonesia, India, and Cambodia to assess the feasibility of a minimum living wage. Labour organisations, such as the Asia Floor Wage campaign, hope that this process will lead to the implementation of living wages in the future. In the meanwhile, Puma has admitted that it is still trying to achieving full compliance with the minimum wage at a number of its suppliers.
Steps in the right direction
The company has made some steps towards greater transparency. In 2000 Puma began auditing all of its suppliers on a yearly basis, and makes the results available in its sustainability reports. Since 2005 it has publicly provided a list of its suppliers.
Puma has made a strong commitment to respecting workers rights in some areas. For example, Puma has obtained the Ethical Clothing Australia accreditation for its Australian-made products. This labour-friendly accreditation applies to only a tiny percentage of Puma’s total production.
Environmental practices
In July 2011, Puma – along with other major fashion and sportswear brands including Nike, Adidas, and Abercrombie & Fitch – was the subject of a report by the environmental group Greenpeace entitled 'Dirty Laundry'. Puma is accused of working with suppliers in China who, according to the findings of the report, contribute to the pollution of the Yangtze and Pearl Rivers. Samples taken from one facility belonging to the Youngor Group located on the Yangtze River Delta and another belonging to the Well Dyeing Factory Ltd., located on a tributary of the Pearl River Delta, revealed the presence of hazardous and persistent hormone disruptor chemicals, including alkylphenols, perfluorinated compounds, and perfluorooctane sulfonate.
Less than two weeks after the release of the Dirty Laundry report, Puma made a public commitment to deal with the issues raised by Greenpeace. The company's statement asserts that "Puma is committed to eliminate the discharges of all hazardous chemicals from the whole lifecycle and all production procedures that are associated with the making and using of Puma products." Greenpeace also confirmed Puma's commitment to eliminate all releases of hazardous chemicals from its entire product lifecycle, and across its global supply chain by 2020.
In May 2011, The Guardian released an article saying that Puma was "world's first major company to put a value on its environmental impact". According to the article the company "has made a commitment that within four years, half its international collections will be manufactured according to its internal sustainability standard, by using more sustainable materials such as recycled polyester, as well as ensuring its suppliers develop more sustainable materials and products."
Timeline
1920: Rudolf Dassler and his brother Adolf start making sports shoes.
1924: Foundation of Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik, Herzogenaurach, Germany.
1948: Foundation of Puma Schuhfabrik Rudolf Dassler (1 October), Introduction of the ATOM, Puma's first football shoe.
1949: Rudolf Dassler has the idea of football shoes with removable studs. He begins working on their development and production.
1952: Introduction of the SUPER ATOM, the world's first boot with screw in studs.
1953: Development of ATOM's successor: the BRASIL.
1958: Introduction of Puma's signature "Formstrip" at the FIFA World Cup in Sweden.
1959: The company is transformed into a limited partnership named Puma-Sportschuhfabriken Rudolf Dassler KG.
1960: Introduction of the vulcanization production technique.
1966: Launch of the WEMBLEY, the predecessor model to the Puma King.
1968: Launch of the legendary KING. Puma is the first manufacturer to offer sports shoes with Velcro fasteners.
1968: Launch of the SUEDE.
1973: Launch of the CLYDE. Designed for basketball player Walt "Clyde" Frazier, as a wider-fitting version of suede model.
1974: Rudolf Dassler dies. His sons Armin and Gerd take over the company's management.
1976: Introduction of the S.P.A.-Technology.
1986: Transformation into a stock corporation.
1989: Launch of the TRINOMIC sport shoe system.
*** 1989: Rudolf's sons Armin and Gerd Dassler agreed to sell their 72 percent stake in Puma to Swiss business Cosa Liebermann SA.
1990: Introduction of INSPECTOR, a growth control system for children's shoes.
1991: Launch of the DISC SYSTEM sports shoe.
1992: Capital increase by DM 20 million, share capital reaches DM 70 million.
*** 1993: Jochen Zeitz is appointed Chairman and CEO, Proventus/Aritmos B.V. becomes majority shareholder.
1994: The first profit since the company's IPO in 1986 is registered.
1996: Puma is listed in the German M-DAX index; introduction of the CELL technology, the first foam-free midsole.
1997: Launch of the CELLERATOR.
1998: Puma starts a collaboration with designer Jil Sander.
1999: Puma becomes an official on-field supplier of the NFL, a legacy reflected in the numeral font of the Tennessee Titans jersey which still uses the original Puma design. Puma is the uniform manufacturer for both Super Bowl teams that year: the Titans and St. Louis Rams.
2000: Production of fireproof footwear in partnership with Porsche and Sparco.
2001: Acquisition of the Scandinavian Tretorn Group.
2002: Puma ends tenure as an on-field supplier for the NFL, when Reebok is announced as the league's sole official uniform and apparel sponsor for 10 years (2002-2011).
2002: Launch of the SHUDOH.
2003: Majority shareholder Monarchy/Regency sells its shareholdings to a broad base of institutional investors.
2004: Collaborative partnership with world-renowned designer Philippe Starck.
2005: Mayfair Vermögensverwaltungsgesellschaft mbh acquires a total of 16.91% shareholding.
2006: The company is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index; Introduction of the S.A.F.E. concept, a specific tool developed to continuously improve social and environmental standards. Shoe collection in cooperation with Alexander McQueen. Italy would go on to win the 2006 World Cup. Due to Puma's sponsorship of the Italian national team, many of the teams' players wore Puma boots.
2007: Voluntary public take-over by Pinault-Printemps Redoute; Prolongation of the contract with Jochen Zeitz by five years.
2008: Melody Harris-Jensbach is appointed Deputy CEO; Designer and artist Hussein Chalayan becomes Creative Director, Puma also acquires a majority stake in Chalayan's business and Hussein Chalayan.
2010: Signs two-year deals to make the kits of Newcastle United, Motherwell, Hibernian, Burnley & Preston North End from the 2010–11 season.
2010: Puma announced it would acquire 100 percent of Cobra Golf, based in Carlsbad, California, from Fortune Brands Inc., but did not provide any financial details.
2011: Signs a deal to make kits of Dinamo Zagreb from the 2011–12 season.
2011: Signs a three-year deal with A-League champions Brisbane Roar.
2012: Signs an eight-year deal to make kits for Borussia Dortmund, starting from the 2012-13 season.
2013: Signs a five-year deal to make kits for Rangers from the 2013-14 season.
2013: Agrees to make kits for Football League Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers on a four-year deal.
2013: Signs a five-year kit deal with Serbian side Red Star Belgrade.
2014: Signs a five-year kit deal worth £30 million-a-year with Arsenal.
*** 2014: Rihanna is named PUMA's global brand ambassador for women's training and PUMA Women's Creative Director, overseeing the direction of the womenswear line, working in partnership with PUMA's Internal Product Creation team.
Sponsorship
Main article: List of Puma sponsorships
Usain Bolt wearing Puma shoes.
Puma is a sponsor of sporting events and identities internationally. The company sponsors numerous footballers and national football teams; the "Formstrip" especially has a heavy presence in Africa. Puma is the sponsor of a number of Bundesliga clubs, most notably Borussia Dortmund.
In cricket, Puma is the official apparel sponsor for the Sunrisers Hyderabad (representing the city of Hyderabad), and Rajasthan Royals (representing the city of Jaipur) in the Indian Premier League. International cricketers such as Yuvraj Singh, Craig Kieswetter, Adam Gilchrist and Brendon McCullum are sponsored by the brand.
In Rugby Union, Puma entered an eight-year contract as official apparel sponsor of the Irish Rugby team that commenced with the 2009–10 season. Under the agreement, Puma supplies the team kit and training equipment and markets replica kits. Puma also sponsor English premiership side Bath.
In golf, Puma sponsors Rickie Fowler, Jonas Blixt, Will MacKenzie, Greg Norman, Graham DeLaet, Lexi Thompson, and Ian Poulter.
In track and field, Puma is best known as the sponsor of Usain Bolt and the Jamaica athletics team.
Puma is also a sponsor of the web show The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers and rapper Meek Mill. In January 2014 Puma and Arsenal F.C. announced a long-term Kit partnership that created the highest value deal in the history of both organisations. The Indian Super League announced in September 2014 that the Puma EvoPower 1 Statement ball would become its official match ball. Puma is also the official kit sponsor for Indian Super League teams Kerala Blasters, Mumbai City FC and Delhi Dynamos.
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Dasslers sell Puma to Cosa. (Armin and Gerd Dassler, Puma AG, Cosa Liebermann Ltd., sports clothing trade)
www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-7614083.html
Daily News Record - May 19, 1989
DASSLERS SELL PUMA TO COSA PARIS -- Armin and Gerd Dassler said Thursday that they have agreed to sell their 72 percent stake in Puma AG, the West German-based activewear and footwear specialist, to Swiss concern Cosa Liebermann SA.
The Dasslers broke the news in a two-sentence press release that didn't say how much Cosa Liebermann will pay. A spokesman at Puma's headquarters in Herzogenaurach, West Germany, also declined to reveal the price of the long-rumored acquisition.
"That's as much a secret as how much we pay Diego Maradona," he said, referring to the Argentine soccer ace who endorses Puma shoes. [(......ie: Another Scientology storefront....)]
However, West German press reports have speculated that Cosa Liebermann will pay $43. …
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Jochen Zeitz
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jochen_Zeitz
Born on April 6, 1963 in Mannheim, Germany, Jochen Zeitz is the Director and Chairman of the board’s sustainable development committee of Kering after having been the CEO of the Sport & Lifestyle division and Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) of Kering since 2010. Prior to this, Zeitz served 18 years as Chairman and CEO at Puma.
Zeitz has been a member of the Board of Directors of Harley-Davidson since 2007 and also chairs Harley-Davidson’s sustainability committee. He is a Board member of Wilderness Safaris and Chair of the Sustainability Committee, and serves as a member of The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) Advisory Board. He is a co-founder and co-chair with Sir Richard Branson of The B Team.
Early life
Studying in Germany, France, and the United States, Zeitz graduated from the European Business School in International Marketing and Finance.
Career
Zeitz began his professional career with Colgate-Palmolive in New York and Hamburg. Zeitz joined PUMA in 1990 and in 1993 was appointed Chairman and CEO becoming the youngest CEO in German history to head a public company at the age of 30. Zeitz then spearheaded the worldwide restructuring of PUMA, which was in financial difficulties at the time, and implemented a long-term development plan that saw PUMA’s share price gain around 4000 percent in 13 years, from 8.6 Euros in his first year as CEO to an all-time high of 350 Euros when the majority stake of the company was acquired by Kering in 2007. Zeitz managed to turn PUMA from a low priced, undesirable brand into one of the top 3 brands in the sporting good industry.
In 2008 Zeitz introduced PUMAVision, an ethical framework defined by the four key principles of being Fair, Honest, Positive and Creative as applied to all professional behavior, business procedures and relationships throughout and outside of PUMA. Zeitz conceived the Environmental Profit & Loss Account (E P&L) and coined the term and in May 2011 he announced PUMA’s Environmental Profit & Loss Account that puts a monetary value to a businesses use of ecosystem services across the entire supply chain. In October 2010, Zeitz was appointed Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) at Kering and soon after launched PPR HOME, a new and holistic sustainability initiative across the global brands of the Group that operates four interconnected strands of Leadership, Ecology, Humanity and Creativity.
Philanthropy
In 2008 Zeitz founded the not-for-profit Zeitz Foundation of Intercultural Ecosphere Safety to support creative and innovative sustainable projects and solutions that balance conservation, community development, culture, and commerce (the "4Cs") in a quadruple bottom line approach, promoting an inclusive, holistic paradigm of conservation that enhances livelihoods and fosters intercultural dialogue while building sustainable businesses.
Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MoCAA)
The Zeitz Collection was founded in 2002. Since 2008 it has committed to becoming one of the most representative collections of contemporary art from the African continent and its diaspora. It currently includes work from artists such as Owusu-Ankomah, Kudzanai Chiurai, Marlene Dumas, Rashid Johnson, Isaac Julien, Glenn Ligon, Julie Mehretu, Nandipha Mntambo, Wangechi Mutu, Chris Ofili, Andrew Putter, Nicholas Hlobo, Kehinde Wiley, and Hank Willis Thomas. The Zeitz Collection also bought 85 works at the 2013 Venice Biennale, including the award-winning installation at the Angola pavilion by artist Edson Chagas, a series of photographs by Zanele Muholi from the South Africa pavilion, and three large sculptures by Michele Mathison in the Zimbabwe pavilion. The collection is currently held and exhibited in spaces in Kenya, Spain, Switzerland, and South Africa.
Scheduled for occupation in late 2016, the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA), in partnership with the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, will be located in the historic grain silo in Cape Town's Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. The museum will have 9,500 square meters (102,000 square feet) of space over nine floors, including 6,000 square meters (65,000 square feet) for displays. In 2014, Thomas Heatherwick was chosen to design the conversion of the 1920s granary into a museum, including 80 galleries, 18 education rooms, a rooftop sculpture garden as well as storage and conservation areas, a restaurant, a coffee shop, and bookstores. The official public opening of the museum is expected to take place in February 2017.
Writing
In 2010 Zeitz co-wrote and published “Prayer, Profit and Principles – Monk and Manager in dialogue” with Anselm Grün, a Benedictine monk. The book has been translated into 15 languages and covers topics such as: sustainability, the economy and prosperity, culture, values, success and responsibility. In 2014 Zeitz co-wrote and published "The Breakthrough Challenge: 10 Ways to Connect Today's Profits with Tomorrow's Bottom Line" with John Elkington.
Honours and awards
Zeitz has received the Strategist of the Year three times from the Financial Times, "Entrepreneur of the Year", “Trendsetter of the Year” and “Best of European Business Award 2006″. In 2004, he was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit of Germany. In 2009, Zeitz became Honorary Warden of Kenya by the Kenya Wildlife Service. In 2010, the German Sustainability Foundation gave Zeitz an award for Germany's most sustainable future strategies. Zeitz was named a Conde Nast Traveler “Visionaries 2012” and one of Fast Company’s “10 Most Important Players at the Rio +20 Conference”. Zeitz received the 2012 German Image Award, the 2013 Banksia International Award and the Visionary Award for the 2013 Travel + Leisure Global Vision Award.
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Entertainment | Tue Dec 16, 2014 ENTERTAINMENT, GERMANY
Puma names Rihanna as women's creative director
BERLIN - BY EMMA THOMASSON
www.reuters.com/article/us-puma-de-marketing-idUSKBN0JU23T20141216#1J72tquW6ejsE3Rz.97
Pictured: Singer Rihanna poses at the First Annual Diamond Ball fundraising event at The Vineyard in Beverly Hills, California December 11, 2014 - REUTERS/MARIO ANZUONI
Germany's Puma named pop star Rihanna as its women's creative director on Tuesday, the latest move by a sportswear firm to tap into the booming market for female leisure gear.
Puma said in a statement that the multi-year deal starting in January would involve Rihanna becoming the face of the women's training category, joining celebrities like Olympic champion sprinter Usain Bolt as brand ambassador.
Puma has been spending heavily on marketing - including a kit deal with English soccer team Arsenal and a big advertising drive - as it seeks to make up ground lost in recent years to market leader Nike and German rival Adidas.
Puma Chief Executive Bjorn Gulden said finding a top name for women's training was important to complement the brand's strength in soccer, running and motorsport.
"Rihanna was a natural choice for us," Gulden said. "Her global profile, her charisma and individuality, her ambition, all these things make her a perfect ambassador for our brand."
Puma said Rihanna would directly influence product collections from next year, and would be involved in consumer and retail events as well as social media content.
The company, which did not give any financial details for the deal, is seeking to tap into fast-growing sales of sports-inspired fashion for women, which has helped drive the rise of the likes of Canadian yogawear chain Lululemon Athletica Inc.
Nike invited 27 of the world's top female athletes to a glitzy event in New York in October to present its new collections for women, while Under Armour signed a deal in September with supermodel Gisele Buendchen.
Nike expects its women's business to grow faster than its other divisions and to account for 19 percent of targeted group sales of $36 billion by 2017, from under 18 percent now.
"(Running) tights are the new denim," wrote Nomura analysts as they reiterated a "buy" rating on the Nike stock following the women's event. "We remain excited about the growth drivers behind this business's potential."
Adidas, which has a more fashion-inspired offering than Nike due to its Originals and NEO streetwear brands, already makes an estimated 30 percent of its sales from women's products, helped by collaborations with celebrities such as Rita Ora, Stella McCartney and Selena Gomez.
It has launched marketing campaigns targeted at women in key markets like the United States and China in the last 18 months.
(Editing by Pravin Char)
Read more at Reutershttp://www.reuters.com/article/us-puma-de-marketing-idUSKBN0JU23T20141216#XXcm2PPe0Gef63Mc.99
Who are you helping get ahead in business? Why?
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Puma SE
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puma_SE
Puma SE (officially branded as PUMA) is a major German multinational company that produces athletic and casual footwear, as well as sportswear, headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany. The company was formed in 1924 as Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik by Adolf and Rudolf Dassler. The relationship between the two brothers deteriorated until the two agreed to split in 1948, forming two separate entities, Adidas and Puma. Both companies are currently based in Herzogenaurach, Germany.
Puma makes football boots and has sponsored a number of footballers, including Pelé, Eusébio, Johan Cruyff, Diego Maradona, Lothar Matthäus, Kenny Dalglish, Thierry Henry, Robert Pirès, Adam Lallana, Radamel Falcao, Sergio Agüero, Cesc Fàbregas, Olivier Giroud, Marco Reus, Marco Verratti, Gianluigi Buffon, Mario Balotelli and Diego Godín. Puma is the sponsor of the Jamaican track athlete Usain Bolt. The first endorser for Asian Region is Luhan, a Chinese actor and singer. In the United States, the company is known for the suede basketball shoe it introduced in 1968, which eventually bore the name of New York Knicks basketball star Walt "Clyde" Frazier, and for its endorsement partnership with Joe Namath.
Following the split from his brother, Rudolf Dassler originally registered the new-established company as Ruda, but later changed the name to Puma. Puma's earliest logo consisted of a square and beast jumping through a D, which was registered, along with the company's name, in 1948. Puma's shoe and clothing designs feature the Puma logo and the distinctive "Formstrip" .
The company offers lines of shoes and sports clothing designed by Lamine Kouyate, Amy Garbers, and others. Since 1996 Puma has intensified its activities in the United States. Puma owns 25% of American brand sports clothing maker Logo Athletic, which is licensed by American professional basketball and association football leagues.
Since 2007 Puma has been part of French group Kering (formerly known as Pinault-Printemps-Redoute or PPR).
Puma also manufactures other products such as clothes and bags. Most of them have a tag that includes a fingertip design and phrases like 'Always be yourself' and 'Wash this when dirty'.
History
Background
Christoph von Wilhelm Dassler was a worker in a shoe factory, while his wife Pauline ran a small laundry in the Bavarian town of Herzogenaurach, 20 km (12.4 mi) from the city of Nuremberg. After leaving school, their son, Rudolf Dassler, joined his father at the shoe factory. When he returned from fighting in World War I, Rudolf received a management position at a porcelain factory, and later in a leather wholesale business in Nuremberg.
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Herzogenaurach
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herzogenaurach
Herzogenaurach, Germany
- Adidas factory outlet in Herzogenaurach
- PUMAVision Headquarters in Herzogenaurach
Herzogenaurach (East Franconian: Herziaura) is a town in the district of Erlangen-Höchstadt, in Bavaria, Germany. It is best known for being the home of the sporting goods companies Adidas and Puma, as well as the large car parts manufacturer Schaeffler Group.
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Rudolf returned to Herzogenaurach in 1924 to join his younger brother, Adolf, nicknamed "Adi", who had founded his own shoe factory. They named the new business "Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik" (Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory). The pair started their venture in their mother's laundry. At the time, electricity supplies in the town were unreliable, and the brothers sometimes had to use pedal power from a stationary bicycle to run their equipment.
Adolf drove from Bavaria to the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin with a suitcase full of spikes and persuaded United States sprinter Jesse Owens to use them, the first sponsorship for an African American. Owens won four gold medals. Business boomed; the Dasslers were selling 200,000 pairs of shoes annually before World War II.
Company split and creation of Puma
Both brothers joined the Nazi Party, but Rudolf was slightly closer to the party. A growing rift between the brothers reached a breaking point during a 1943 Allied bomb attack. Adi and his wife climbed into a bomb shelter that Rudolf and his family were already in. "Here are the bloody bastards again," Adi said, apparently referring to the Allied war planes, but Rudolf was convinced his brother meant him and his family. When Rudolf was later picked up by American soldiers and accused of being a member of the Waffen SS, he was convinced that his brother had turned him in.
The brothers split the business in 1948. Rudolf moved to the other side of the Aurach River to start his own company. Adolf started his own sportswear company using a name he formed using his nickname—Adi—and the first three letters of his last name—Das—to establish Adidas. Rudolf created a new firm that he called "Ruda", from "Ru" in Rudolf and "Da" in Dassler. Rudolf's company changed its name to Puma Schuhfabrik Rudolf Dassler in 1948.
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Rudolf Dassler
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Dassler
Rudolf Dassler (26 March 1898, Herzogenaurach, (Germany) - 27 October 1974, Herzogenaurach) was the German founder of the sportswear company Puma and the older brother of Adidas founder, Adolf "Adi" Dassler. The brothers were partners in a shoe company Adi started, Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik (Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory). Rudi joined in 1924, however the brothers became rivals following World War II and started their own companies in 1948.
Initially calling the new company "Ruda" (Rudolf Dassler), it was soon changed to its present name of Puma. Puma is the native Quechua word for cougar, from there it went into German as well as other languages, such as Spanish, French, Russian, Romanian, Portuguese, Italian, Polish, Czech, Swedish, Bulgarian, Danish, Norwegian, Serbian and Slovene.
Adolf Dassler started to produce sports shoes in his mother's wash kitchen after his return from World War I. His father, Christoph, who worked in a shoe factory, and the brothers Zehlein, who produced the handmade spikes for track shoes in their blacksmith's shop, supported Adolf in starting his own business. In 1924, Rudolf joined the business, which became the Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik (Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory). Rudolf was affectionately known as 'Bobby' because this was the only sound that he could make for the first three years of his life.
With the rise of Adolf Hitler in the 1930s, both Dassler brothers joined the Nazi Party, with Rudolf reputed as being the more ardent National Socialist. Rudolf was drafted, and later captured, while Adolf stayed behind to produce boots for the Wehrmacht. During the war, a growing rift between the pair reached a breaking point after an Allied bomb attack in 1943 when Adi and his wife climbed into a bomb shelter that Rudolf and his family were already in: "The dirty bastards are back again," Adi said, apparently referring to the Allied war planes, but Rudolf was convinced his brother meant him and his family. Rudolf, upon his capture by American troops, was suspected of being a member of the SS, information supposedly supplied by Adolf.
Under his direction, Puma remained a small provincial company. Only under the direction of his son, Armin Dassler, did it become the worldwide known company it remains today.
Rudi Dassler died on 27 October 1974 of lung cancer at the age of 76.
See also
German inventors and discoverers
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Early years and rivalry with Adidas
Puma and Adidas entered a fierce and bitter rivalry after the split. The town of Herzogenaurach was divided on the issue, leading to the nickname "the town of bent necks"—people looked down to see which shoes strangers wore. Even the town's two football clubs were divided: ASV Herzogenaurach club supported Adidas, while 1 FC Herzogenaurach endorsed Rudolf's footwear. When handymen were called to Rudolf's home, they would deliberately wear Adidas shoes. Rudolf would tell them to go to the basement and pick out a pair of free Pumas. The two brothers never reconciled, and although both are buried in the same cemetery, they are buried at opposite ends as far away from each other as possible.
In 1948, the first football match after World War II, several members of the West German national football team wore Puma boots, including the scorer of West Germany's first post-war goal, Herbert Burdenski. Four years later, at the 1952 Summer Olympics, 1500 metres runner Josy Barthel of Luxembourg won Puma's first Olympic gold in Helsinki, Finland.
At the 1960 Summer Olympics Puma paid German sprinter Armin Hary to wear Pumas in the 100 metre sprint final. Hary had worn Adidas before and asked Adolf for payment, but Adidas rejected this request. The German won gold in Pumas, but then laced up Adidas for the medals ceremony, to the shock of the two Dassler brothers. Hary hoped to cash in from both, but Adi was so enraged he banned the Olympic champion.
The Pelé pact and subsequent affairs
A few months prior to the 1970 FIFA World Cup, Armin Dassler (Rudolf's son) and his cousin, Horst Dassler (Adi's son), sealed an agreement which was dubbed "The Pelé pact". This agreement dictated that soccer player Pelé would be out of bounds for both Adidas and Puma. However, Pelé complied with a request by Puma's representative Hans Henningsen to increase the awareness and profile of Puma after he received $120,000 to wear the Formstrips. At the opening whistle of a 1970 World Cup finals match, Pelé stopped the referee with a last-second request to tie his shoelaces before kneeling down to give millions of television viewers a close-up of his Pumas. This outraged Horst, and future peace agreements were called off.
Two years later, during the 1972 Summer Olympics, Puma provided shoes for the Ugandan 400 metres hurdles champion, John Akii-Bua. After Akii-Bua was forced out of Uganda by its military government, Puma employed him in Germany. Eventually Akii-Bua returned to Uganda.
Puma became a public company in 1986, and thereafter was listed on the Börse München and Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
In May 1989, Rudolf's sons Armin and Gerd Dassler agreed to sell their 72 percent stake in Puma to Swiss business Cosa Liebermann SA.
Present day
For the fiscal year 2003, the company had revenue of €1.274 billion. Puma were the commercial sponsors for the 2002 anime series Hungry Heart: Wild Striker, with the jerseys and clothing sporting the Puma brand. Puma ranks as one of the top shoe brands with Adidas and Nike.
The company has been led by CEO and Chairman Jochen Zeitz since 1993. His contract was extended until 2012 in October 2007.
Japanese fashion guru Mihara Yasuhiro teamed up with Puma to create a high-end and high-concept line of sneakers.
Puma is the main producer of enthusiast driving shoes and race suits. They are the primary producer for Formula One and NASCAR clothing. They won the rights to sponsor the 2006 FIFA World Cup champions, the Italian national football team, making and sponsoring the clothing worn by the team. They entered a partnership with Ferrari, Ducati and BMW to make Puma-Ferrari, Puma-Ducati and Puma-BMW shoes. On 15 March 2007 Puma launched its 2007/2008 line of uniforms for a club, and Brazilian football club Grêmio will be the first to use the laser-sewn technology, similar to that worn by Italy at the 2006 World Cup, because their season starts six months earlier than European clubs.
Rihanna was named Creative Director of Puma overseeing direction of the womenswear line in December 2014.
As of 2014, Puma SE employs more than 10,000 people worldwide and distributes its products in more than 120 countries.
Special editions of King football boots
In 2008 Puma commemorated the 40th anniversary of the "King" model of boots with a special anniversary edition, the King XL (XL is 40 in Roman Numerals), a tribute to Portuguese footballer Eusébio, who scored 42 goals with King boots in 1968, winning the Golden Boot Award as Europe's leading scorer. Puma has continued to release new versions of the King range, and released a version in 2009 to celebrate the history of Italian soccer, and in particular the Puma King XL Italia, in honour of double World Cup winning coach Vittorio Pozzo.
In 2010 a Puma King model was released commemorating the 50th birthday of Diego Maradona, with a model called the Puma King Diego Finale football boot. This edition was created in the colours of La Albiceleste, the Argentina National football team.
Takeover by PPR
In February 2007 Puma reported that its profits had fallen by 26% to €32.8 million ($43 million; £22 million) during the final three months of 2006. Most of the decline in profits was due to higher costs linked to its expansion; sales rose by more than a third to €480.6 million.
In early April 2007 Puma's shares rose €29.25 per share, or about 10.2%, at €315.24 per share.
On 10 April 2007 French retailer and owner of Gucci brand Pinault-Printemps-Redoute (PPR) announced that it had bought a 27% stake in Puma, clearing the way for a full takeover. The deal values Puma at €5.3 billion. PPR said that it would launch a "friendly" takeover for Puma, worth €330 a share, once the acquisition of the smaller stake was completed. The board of Puma welcomed the move, saying it was fair and in the firm's best interests.
As of July 2007 PPR owns over 60% of Puma stock.
In July 2011 the company completed a conversion from an Aktiengesellschaft (German public limited company) to a Societas Europaea, the European Union-wide equivalent, changing its name from Puma AG Rudolf Dassler Sport to Puma SE. At the same time, Franz Koch replaced the long-serving Jochen Zeitz as the firm's CEO, with Zeitz becoming chairman.
Controversy
Employment practices
Unbalanced scales.jpg
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Organizations that were promoting fair trade and worker's rights did not criticize Puma's employment practices in their developing world factories, predominantly relating to workers in China, Turkey, El Salvador, and Indonesia.
Puma, like many globalised corporations, believes that "labour flexibility remains one of the key components to ensure that individual companies survive and grow". These "flexible" labour practices allow the company to manufacture quickly and cheaply, but often under exploitative conditions.
Freedom of association
Puma’s 2009 supplier list included close to 350 suppliers, the majority of which are located in Asia, predominately China, followed by Vietnam. In these locations, Puma reports that the rights of freedom of association and collective bargaining have been difficult to enforce. According to human rights and labour organisations, Puma does not have adequate policies in place to encourage suppliers to recognise workers' union rights. Puma does not require suppliers to allow their workers to form a union, nor does it require suppliers to sign union access agreements.
Puma frequently has short term contracts with its suppliers, which means that at any time it can leave an area, and its workers, if they can source their products more cheaply elsewhere. This lack of stability does not give supplier factories a good incentive to respect workers' rights. For instance, in 2004 Puma decided to stop ordering garments from the Lian Thai factory in Thailand just after the factory had agreed to cease discrimination against trade union members. In another incident, following the formation of an independent union at one of Puma’s Mexican suppliers, the company cut orders from the factory.
Puma has not taken action to minimise the use of short term contracts, though the prevalence of these contracts creates an atmosphere of economic insecurity and makes it difficult for workers to organise.
Low wages
In a number of regions, sportswear workers producing for Puma have been increasingly vocal about the serious inadequacy of their wages. Puma has not yet made a full commitment to pay a living wage. Puma is currently undertaking research into finding a practical solution to the problem of low wages in Asia, and is working with suppliers in Indonesia, India, and Cambodia to assess the feasibility of a minimum living wage. Labour organisations, such as the Asia Floor Wage campaign, hope that this process will lead to the implementation of living wages in the future. In the meanwhile, Puma has admitted that it is still trying to achieving full compliance with the minimum wage at a number of its suppliers.
Steps in the right direction
The company has made some steps towards greater transparency. In 2000 Puma began auditing all of its suppliers on a yearly basis, and makes the results available in its sustainability reports. Since 2005 it has publicly provided a list of its suppliers.
Puma has made a strong commitment to respecting workers rights in some areas. For example, Puma has obtained the Ethical Clothing Australia accreditation for its Australian-made products. This labour-friendly accreditation applies to only a tiny percentage of Puma’s total production.
Environmental practices
In July 2011, Puma – along with other major fashion and sportswear brands including Nike, Adidas, and Abercrombie & Fitch – was the subject of a report by the environmental group Greenpeace entitled 'Dirty Laundry'. Puma is accused of working with suppliers in China who, according to the findings of the report, contribute to the pollution of the Yangtze and Pearl Rivers. Samples taken from one facility belonging to the Youngor Group located on the Yangtze River Delta and another belonging to the Well Dyeing Factory Ltd., located on a tributary of the Pearl River Delta, revealed the presence of hazardous and persistent hormone disruptor chemicals, including alkylphenols, perfluorinated compounds, and perfluorooctane sulfonate.
Less than two weeks after the release of the Dirty Laundry report, Puma made a public commitment to deal with the issues raised by Greenpeace. The company's statement asserts that "Puma is committed to eliminate the discharges of all hazardous chemicals from the whole lifecycle and all production procedures that are associated with the making and using of Puma products." Greenpeace also confirmed Puma's commitment to eliminate all releases of hazardous chemicals from its entire product lifecycle, and across its global supply chain by 2020.
In May 2011, The Guardian released an article saying that Puma was "world's first major company to put a value on its environmental impact". According to the article the company "has made a commitment that within four years, half its international collections will be manufactured according to its internal sustainability standard, by using more sustainable materials such as recycled polyester, as well as ensuring its suppliers develop more sustainable materials and products."
Timeline
1920: Rudolf Dassler and his brother Adolf start making sports shoes.
1924: Foundation of Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik, Herzogenaurach, Germany.
1948: Foundation of Puma Schuhfabrik Rudolf Dassler (1 October), Introduction of the ATOM, Puma's first football shoe.
1949: Rudolf Dassler has the idea of football shoes with removable studs. He begins working on their development and production.
1952: Introduction of the SUPER ATOM, the world's first boot with screw in studs.
1953: Development of ATOM's successor: the BRASIL.
1958: Introduction of Puma's signature "Formstrip" at the FIFA World Cup in Sweden.
1959: The company is transformed into a limited partnership named Puma-Sportschuhfabriken Rudolf Dassler KG.
1960: Introduction of the vulcanization production technique.
1966: Launch of the WEMBLEY, the predecessor model to the Puma King.
1968: Launch of the legendary KING. Puma is the first manufacturer to offer sports shoes with Velcro fasteners.
1968: Launch of the SUEDE.
1973: Launch of the CLYDE. Designed for basketball player Walt "Clyde" Frazier, as a wider-fitting version of suede model.
1974: Rudolf Dassler dies. His sons Armin and Gerd take over the company's management.
1976: Introduction of the S.P.A.-Technology.
1986: Transformation into a stock corporation.
1989: Launch of the TRINOMIC sport shoe system.
*** 1989: Rudolf's sons Armin and Gerd Dassler agreed to sell their 72 percent stake in Puma to Swiss business Cosa Liebermann SA.
1990: Introduction of INSPECTOR, a growth control system for children's shoes.
1991: Launch of the DISC SYSTEM sports shoe.
1992: Capital increase by DM 20 million, share capital reaches DM 70 million.
*** 1993: Jochen Zeitz is appointed Chairman and CEO, Proventus/Aritmos B.V. becomes majority shareholder.
1994: The first profit since the company's IPO in 1986 is registered.
1996: Puma is listed in the German M-DAX index; introduction of the CELL technology, the first foam-free midsole.
1997: Launch of the CELLERATOR.
1998: Puma starts a collaboration with designer Jil Sander.
1999: Puma becomes an official on-field supplier of the NFL, a legacy reflected in the numeral font of the Tennessee Titans jersey which still uses the original Puma design. Puma is the uniform manufacturer for both Super Bowl teams that year: the Titans and St. Louis Rams.
2000: Production of fireproof footwear in partnership with Porsche and Sparco.
2001: Acquisition of the Scandinavian Tretorn Group.
2002: Puma ends tenure as an on-field supplier for the NFL, when Reebok is announced as the league's sole official uniform and apparel sponsor for 10 years (2002-2011).
2002: Launch of the SHUDOH.
2003: Majority shareholder Monarchy/Regency sells its shareholdings to a broad base of institutional investors.
2004: Collaborative partnership with world-renowned designer Philippe Starck.
2005: Mayfair Vermögensverwaltungsgesellschaft mbh acquires a total of 16.91% shareholding.
2006: The company is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index; Introduction of the S.A.F.E. concept, a specific tool developed to continuously improve social and environmental standards. Shoe collection in cooperation with Alexander McQueen. Italy would go on to win the 2006 World Cup. Due to Puma's sponsorship of the Italian national team, many of the teams' players wore Puma boots.
2007: Voluntary public take-over by Pinault-Printemps Redoute; Prolongation of the contract with Jochen Zeitz by five years.
2008: Melody Harris-Jensbach is appointed Deputy CEO; Designer and artist Hussein Chalayan becomes Creative Director, Puma also acquires a majority stake in Chalayan's business and Hussein Chalayan.
2010: Signs two-year deals to make the kits of Newcastle United, Motherwell, Hibernian, Burnley & Preston North End from the 2010–11 season.
2010: Puma announced it would acquire 100 percent of Cobra Golf, based in Carlsbad, California, from Fortune Brands Inc., but did not provide any financial details.
2011: Signs a deal to make kits of Dinamo Zagreb from the 2011–12 season.
2011: Signs a three-year deal with A-League champions Brisbane Roar.
2012: Signs an eight-year deal to make kits for Borussia Dortmund, starting from the 2012-13 season.
2013: Signs a five-year deal to make kits for Rangers from the 2013-14 season.
2013: Agrees to make kits for Football League Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers on a four-year deal.
2013: Signs a five-year kit deal with Serbian side Red Star Belgrade.
2014: Signs a five-year kit deal worth £30 million-a-year with Arsenal.
*** 2014: Rihanna is named PUMA's global brand ambassador for women's training and PUMA Women's Creative Director, overseeing the direction of the womenswear line, working in partnership with PUMA's Internal Product Creation team.
Sponsorship
Main article: List of Puma sponsorships
Usain Bolt wearing Puma shoes.
Puma is a sponsor of sporting events and identities internationally. The company sponsors numerous footballers and national football teams; the "Formstrip" especially has a heavy presence in Africa. Puma is the sponsor of a number of Bundesliga clubs, most notably Borussia Dortmund.
In cricket, Puma is the official apparel sponsor for the Sunrisers Hyderabad (representing the city of Hyderabad), and Rajasthan Royals (representing the city of Jaipur) in the Indian Premier League. International cricketers such as Yuvraj Singh, Craig Kieswetter, Adam Gilchrist and Brendon McCullum are sponsored by the brand.
In Rugby Union, Puma entered an eight-year contract as official apparel sponsor of the Irish Rugby team that commenced with the 2009–10 season. Under the agreement, Puma supplies the team kit and training equipment and markets replica kits. Puma also sponsor English premiership side Bath.
In golf, Puma sponsors Rickie Fowler, Jonas Blixt, Will MacKenzie, Greg Norman, Graham DeLaet, Lexi Thompson, and Ian Poulter.
In track and field, Puma is best known as the sponsor of Usain Bolt and the Jamaica athletics team.
Puma is also a sponsor of the web show The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers and rapper Meek Mill. In January 2014 Puma and Arsenal F.C. announced a long-term Kit partnership that created the highest value deal in the history of both organisations. The Indian Super League announced in September 2014 that the Puma EvoPower 1 Statement ball would become its official match ball. Puma is also the official kit sponsor for Indian Super League teams Kerala Blasters, Mumbai City FC and Delhi Dynamos.
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Dasslers sell Puma to Cosa. (Armin and Gerd Dassler, Puma AG, Cosa Liebermann Ltd., sports clothing trade)
www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-7614083.html
Daily News Record - May 19, 1989
DASSLERS SELL PUMA TO COSA PARIS -- Armin and Gerd Dassler said Thursday that they have agreed to sell their 72 percent stake in Puma AG, the West German-based activewear and footwear specialist, to Swiss concern Cosa Liebermann SA.
The Dasslers broke the news in a two-sentence press release that didn't say how much Cosa Liebermann will pay. A spokesman at Puma's headquarters in Herzogenaurach, West Germany, also declined to reveal the price of the long-rumored acquisition.
"That's as much a secret as how much we pay Diego Maradona," he said, referring to the Argentine soccer ace who endorses Puma shoes. [(......ie: Another Scientology storefront....)]
However, West German press reports have speculated that Cosa Liebermann will pay $43. …
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Jochen Zeitz
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jochen_Zeitz
Born on April 6, 1963 in Mannheim, Germany, Jochen Zeitz is the Director and Chairman of the board’s sustainable development committee of Kering after having been the CEO of the Sport & Lifestyle division and Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) of Kering since 2010. Prior to this, Zeitz served 18 years as Chairman and CEO at Puma.
Zeitz has been a member of the Board of Directors of Harley-Davidson since 2007 and also chairs Harley-Davidson’s sustainability committee. He is a Board member of Wilderness Safaris and Chair of the Sustainability Committee, and serves as a member of The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) Advisory Board. He is a co-founder and co-chair with Sir Richard Branson of The B Team.
Early life
Studying in Germany, France, and the United States, Zeitz graduated from the European Business School in International Marketing and Finance.
Career
Zeitz began his professional career with Colgate-Palmolive in New York and Hamburg. Zeitz joined PUMA in 1990 and in 1993 was appointed Chairman and CEO becoming the youngest CEO in German history to head a public company at the age of 30. Zeitz then spearheaded the worldwide restructuring of PUMA, which was in financial difficulties at the time, and implemented a long-term development plan that saw PUMA’s share price gain around 4000 percent in 13 years, from 8.6 Euros in his first year as CEO to an all-time high of 350 Euros when the majority stake of the company was acquired by Kering in 2007. Zeitz managed to turn PUMA from a low priced, undesirable brand into one of the top 3 brands in the sporting good industry.
In 2008 Zeitz introduced PUMAVision, an ethical framework defined by the four key principles of being Fair, Honest, Positive and Creative as applied to all professional behavior, business procedures and relationships throughout and outside of PUMA. Zeitz conceived the Environmental Profit & Loss Account (E P&L) and coined the term and in May 2011 he announced PUMA’s Environmental Profit & Loss Account that puts a monetary value to a businesses use of ecosystem services across the entire supply chain. In October 2010, Zeitz was appointed Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) at Kering and soon after launched PPR HOME, a new and holistic sustainability initiative across the global brands of the Group that operates four interconnected strands of Leadership, Ecology, Humanity and Creativity.
Philanthropy
In 2008 Zeitz founded the not-for-profit Zeitz Foundation of Intercultural Ecosphere Safety to support creative and innovative sustainable projects and solutions that balance conservation, community development, culture, and commerce (the "4Cs") in a quadruple bottom line approach, promoting an inclusive, holistic paradigm of conservation that enhances livelihoods and fosters intercultural dialogue while building sustainable businesses.
Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MoCAA)
The Zeitz Collection was founded in 2002. Since 2008 it has committed to becoming one of the most representative collections of contemporary art from the African continent and its diaspora. It currently includes work from artists such as Owusu-Ankomah, Kudzanai Chiurai, Marlene Dumas, Rashid Johnson, Isaac Julien, Glenn Ligon, Julie Mehretu, Nandipha Mntambo, Wangechi Mutu, Chris Ofili, Andrew Putter, Nicholas Hlobo, Kehinde Wiley, and Hank Willis Thomas. The Zeitz Collection also bought 85 works at the 2013 Venice Biennale, including the award-winning installation at the Angola pavilion by artist Edson Chagas, a series of photographs by Zanele Muholi from the South Africa pavilion, and three large sculptures by Michele Mathison in the Zimbabwe pavilion. The collection is currently held and exhibited in spaces in Kenya, Spain, Switzerland, and South Africa.
Scheduled for occupation in late 2016, the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA), in partnership with the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, will be located in the historic grain silo in Cape Town's Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. The museum will have 9,500 square meters (102,000 square feet) of space over nine floors, including 6,000 square meters (65,000 square feet) for displays. In 2014, Thomas Heatherwick was chosen to design the conversion of the 1920s granary into a museum, including 80 galleries, 18 education rooms, a rooftop sculpture garden as well as storage and conservation areas, a restaurant, a coffee shop, and bookstores. The official public opening of the museum is expected to take place in February 2017.
Writing
In 2010 Zeitz co-wrote and published “Prayer, Profit and Principles – Monk and Manager in dialogue” with Anselm Grün, a Benedictine monk. The book has been translated into 15 languages and covers topics such as: sustainability, the economy and prosperity, culture, values, success and responsibility. In 2014 Zeitz co-wrote and published "The Breakthrough Challenge: 10 Ways to Connect Today's Profits with Tomorrow's Bottom Line" with John Elkington.
Honours and awards
Zeitz has received the Strategist of the Year three times from the Financial Times, "Entrepreneur of the Year", “Trendsetter of the Year” and “Best of European Business Award 2006″. In 2004, he was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit of Germany. In 2009, Zeitz became Honorary Warden of Kenya by the Kenya Wildlife Service. In 2010, the German Sustainability Foundation gave Zeitz an award for Germany's most sustainable future strategies. Zeitz was named a Conde Nast Traveler “Visionaries 2012” and one of Fast Company’s “10 Most Important Players at the Rio +20 Conference”. Zeitz received the 2012 German Image Award, the 2013 Banksia International Award and the Visionary Award for the 2013 Travel + Leisure Global Vision Award.
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Entertainment | Tue Dec 16, 2014 ENTERTAINMENT, GERMANY
Puma names Rihanna as women's creative director
BERLIN - BY EMMA THOMASSON
www.reuters.com/article/us-puma-de-marketing-idUSKBN0JU23T20141216#1J72tquW6ejsE3Rz.97
Pictured: Singer Rihanna poses at the First Annual Diamond Ball fundraising event at The Vineyard in Beverly Hills, California December 11, 2014 - REUTERS/MARIO ANZUONI
Germany's Puma named pop star Rihanna as its women's creative director on Tuesday, the latest move by a sportswear firm to tap into the booming market for female leisure gear.
Puma said in a statement that the multi-year deal starting in January would involve Rihanna becoming the face of the women's training category, joining celebrities like Olympic champion sprinter Usain Bolt as brand ambassador.
Puma has been spending heavily on marketing - including a kit deal with English soccer team Arsenal and a big advertising drive - as it seeks to make up ground lost in recent years to market leader Nike and German rival Adidas.
Puma Chief Executive Bjorn Gulden said finding a top name for women's training was important to complement the brand's strength in soccer, running and motorsport.
"Rihanna was a natural choice for us," Gulden said. "Her global profile, her charisma and individuality, her ambition, all these things make her a perfect ambassador for our brand."
Puma said Rihanna would directly influence product collections from next year, and would be involved in consumer and retail events as well as social media content.
The company, which did not give any financial details for the deal, is seeking to tap into fast-growing sales of sports-inspired fashion for women, which has helped drive the rise of the likes of Canadian yogawear chain Lululemon Athletica Inc.
Nike invited 27 of the world's top female athletes to a glitzy event in New York in October to present its new collections for women, while Under Armour signed a deal in September with supermodel Gisele Buendchen.
Nike expects its women's business to grow faster than its other divisions and to account for 19 percent of targeted group sales of $36 billion by 2017, from under 18 percent now.
"(Running) tights are the new denim," wrote Nomura analysts as they reiterated a "buy" rating on the Nike stock following the women's event. "We remain excited about the growth drivers behind this business's potential."
Adidas, which has a more fashion-inspired offering than Nike due to its Originals and NEO streetwear brands, already makes an estimated 30 percent of its sales from women's products, helped by collaborations with celebrities such as Rita Ora, Stella McCartney and Selena Gomez.
It has launched marketing campaigns targeted at women in key markets like the United States and China in the last 18 months.
(Editing by Pravin Char)
Read more at Reutershttp://www.reuters.com/article/us-puma-de-marketing-idUSKBN0JU23T20141216#XXcm2PPe0Gef63Mc.99