Puma is revamping its brand and online shopping experience with the help of cutting-edge technology: generative AI. The German sportswear giant announced an expanded partnership with Google Cloud, allowing Puma to personalize product imagery for each shopper and accelerating the time-to-market for PUMA’s digital campaigns globally.
The magic of Imagen 2 on Vertex AI
Imagine browsing Puma’s website and seeing a pair of running shoes on the streets of your city, or a cozy hoodie in front of your favorite local landmark. This is the magic of Imagen 2, a Google Cloud tool Puma utilizes to tailor website images based on a shopper’s location. It’s not just about location though. Imagen 2 also helps content editors with time-consuming tasks like color correction and shadowing, allowing them to focus on bigger creative projects.
The benefits extend beyond aesthetics. Since migrating to Google Cloud earlier this year, Puma has seen a significant boost in its online shopping performance, the company said in a press release. Personalized content, generated by Google Cloud’s AI tools, has led to a higher average order value (AOV). Additionally, faster product launch times allow Puma to make new products shoppable the moment they arrive at the warehouse.
“At PUMA, all product creations always starts with the consumer first in mind and we have the ambition to be as personal as possible in each interaction with our consumers. Google Cloud’s generative AI has allowed us to create an immersive experience that is tailored to each consumer, and we are already seeing the benefits,” said Arne Freundt, CEO of PUMA.
Puma’s ambitions don’t stop there
The company plans to explore Imagen 3, Google Cloud’s latest and most powerful text-to-image model, further enhancing its campaign creation capabilities. Additionally, they aim to expand the use of Google Cloud’s Vertex AI Search for Retail across subsidiaries, leading to even better conversion rates and AOVs.
“Google Cloud is helping companies in every industry improve the customer experience with gen AI-powered agents, and our partnership with PUMA is an excellent example of this. The creative agent Puma has built with our leading Imagen technology is taking personalization to a new level – and driving real business results,” said Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud.
AI push amidst heightened competition
This AI push comes amidst heightened competition in the sportswear market. Puma, along with giants like Nike and Under Armour, faces pressure from upstarts like HOKA and On Holding. These new players have excelled at building strong brand identities and premium pricing strategies.
Puma, however, operates with a smaller direct-to-consumer business compared to its competitors. This means less data on its end customers and less pricing power. Partnering with Google Cloud allows Puma to leverage the power of data and personalize its online experience, bridging the gap with its customers.
Even seemingly minor changes, like location-specific product imagery, can create a positive first impression and lead to increased customer engagement. Puma’s partnership with Google Cloud is a significant step towards a more personalized and engaging online shopping experience for its customers worldwide.
