Puma Lands Blackpink’s Rosé As Latest Global Ambassador

Earlier this week, Puma has scored another coup in the celebrity endorsement game by adding Blackpink’s Rosé as the brand’s newest global ambassador. 

The 27-year-old star—who has just signed a solo management deal with The Black Label—joins the likes of internationally acclaimed musical icons such as A$AP Rocky, Rihanna, Dua Lipa and Skepta on Puma’s stable of celebrity partnerships. 

Under the deal, Puma is aiming to bank on Rosé’s  global clout and audience engagement to spotlight the “Rewrite the Classics” campaigns, celebrating Puma’s timeless franchise. This is particularly important in unlocking the Asian market where K-pop reigns supreme.  

Following the announcement, Maria Valdes, Chief Product Officer for Puma stated, “Rosé’s remarkable influence on music, fashion, and culture globally are such an inspiration. We are thrilled to embark on this journey with her, where she will play a diverse role, leveraging her knowledge and vision to help us redefine our classic space.”

“Her unique perspective will be instrumental in amplifying Puma’s ‘Rewrite the Classics’ program highlighting franchises like Palermo, Speedcat, amongst others. We are delighted to welcome her to our Puma family, and we eagerly anticipate the accomplishments we will achieve together.”

As sponsorship insiders would know, this is not Rosé’s first partnership with a sportswear brand, as she and her fellow Blackpink members have been collaborating with Adidas since 2020. 

Meanwhile, Puma has been in the news for the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement’s list as it sponsors the Israel Football Association (IFA). In December 2023, the brand had stated that it would not be renewing its deal that expires in 2024, citing that it would focus on a “fewer-bigger-better strategy” for its football sponsorship deals.  

According to ASN data,   Puma (4.2% ~US$52.2m) is the 5^th largest spender for its category in the Asian sponsorship market since Q321 and has a quarterly investment of almost US$4.6m during that period. Unsurprisingly, it trails behind Nike (29.1%), Adidas (15.2%), Li Ning (14.3%) and Asics (12.3%) in terms of sponsorship market share. 

In terms of sponsorship market share, Puma focuses on India (59.4%), Japan (18.1%), China (12.7%) and South Korea (5.8%).  Some of the brand’s blockbuster deals in the region include Virat Kohli (~US$2.5m), NBA China (US$2.1m+), La Liga (US$1.6m+), Kareena Kapoor Khan (US$579k) and Korean esports team Gen G (US$530k).