Welcome to Brand Dump, a weekly newsletter where I share things I’ve learnt or discovered around branding, creative direction and tools that are changing our industry.

Today’s topics:

Puma just dropped what might be the smartest move we’ve seen in the sportswear space all year.

Forget the “win at all costs” mantra, this campaign is about self-expression, enjoyment and social connection, rather than the “performance at any cost” mindset embraced by Nike throughout the years.

And here’s what’s wild:
🧠 Pre-launch tests in the US and Germany scored the campaign in the top 1% for predicted long-term market share growth.
💸 And it also ranked in the top 15% for the most effective ads in driving sales

Puma’s flipping the script on the whole high-performance narrative.

While Nike is still talking about grit, grind, and Olympic podiums, Puma’s leaning into something more human:

Joy. Wellness. Community.

It’s the same shift we’ve seen powering brands like Hoka and On, who’ve both been quietly eating Nike’s lunch by speaking directly to the emotional needs of the modern mover.

Running isn’t about medals anymore—it’s about mental clarity.
Fitness isn’t about flexing—it’s about feeling better.

This is a brand strategy pivot, and it’s working.

What I love most? This wasn’t guesswork.

Puma conducted a survey of over 10,000 consumers worldwide in key countries and used the data to qualify and quantify its audience segments.

Puma’s VP of Brand said it best: they’re blending consumer insight + emotional storytelling + creative precision.

That’s the real blueprint.

And it aligns perfectly with what I’m seeing across the best brands right now:

This campaign wasn’t just guesswork—it was calculated branding based off of real customer research.

It’s storytelling through the lens of the lean startup. A blend of my 2 favourite books, Building A StoryBrand By Donald Miller & The Lean Startup by Eric Ries.

Speaking of Puma - Virat Kohli, one of the most marketable athletes on the planet has just walked away from a nine-figure offer from the sportswear brand.

Read that again. $100 million. Declined.

Not because the money wasn’t big enough. Because the vision wasn’t.

Instead, he’s chosen to invest in Agilitas Sports, a new Indian sportswear startup, and take an active role in shaping it.

This isn’t just turning down a brand offer, it’s a sign that Kohli is thinking beyond endorsement deals and looking at long-term value and lending his name to building something more meaningful.

Kohli’s move comes right on the heels of Puma shaking up their leadership, with Arthur Hoeld (ex-Adidas) stepping in as CEO. And while that might hint at a new direction for the brand, it clearly wasn’t enough to keep Kohli in the system.

Kohli’s decision is part of a growing trend:

Athletes are seeking more personalised endorsement deals, equity opportunities, as well as a greater say in product development and brand messaging.

Roger Federer has done it with On and Uniqlo.

Top-tier athletes are chasing more than a pay cheque or a product deal. They want:

This isn’t about logos. It’s about building something impactful to create a long lasting legacy.

There’s a change happening in the way brands are being built and Gen Z is leading the charge toward softer, smarter, soul-first brands.

Puma got the memo and acted on it.

Whether it's Puma rethinking its narrative to resonate with Gen Z’s desire for wellness and self-expression, or Virat Kohli turning down $100 million to chase creative control and equity—the message is the same:

It’s not about slapping a logo on talent anymore. It’s about collaborating with them to create something real.

Customers can smell inauthenticity a mile away. Athletes, creators, and customers are demanding more than hype, they want meaning, input, and a piece of the upside.

And here’s the kicker:

👉 The brands that win in 2025 won’t just be well-designed or well-funded.
They’ll be co-created, emotionally resonant, and built with purpose.

If you’re building something today, here’s the lesson:

AI is powering precision, but human storytelling is what makes it stick.

The challenge for brands is to master both. Scale without losing soul. Automate without becoming generic. Those who do will define the next chapter of brand growth.

This section highlights AI tools and learnings that I’ve experienced throughout the past week. Everything below is organic and non-sponsored unless indicated.

‣ Tahlia Kennedy created an entire brand, pitch deck and website using AI tool’s; Google Gemini for the business research, ChatGPT for the business pitch deck, and Reloom for the website.

‣ RoboNuggets shared a video of a new AI agent that controls your computer via a prompt. I can already see this completely revolutionising repetitive design tasks like exporting assets in multiple formats, generating mockups at scale, batch-renaming and organising design files & so much more…

‣ AI agents like Relevance AI makes it possible outperform a single LLM by breaking tasks into smaller steps, coordinating specialised tools, and executing actions autonomously. More to come in future posts on this.

This section includes things I have found interesting and helpful this week.

This article by Black Chalk Marketing sums up perfectly the need for authentic branding and storytelling that resonates with your customer. The first step to building any brand is truly understanding your target audience.

I’m really loving Steven Bartlett’s new “Behind The Diary” YouTube series, where he shows the day to day behind building Flight Story, his new business combining both his media ventures and investment funds.

Eric Stark’s post on his social content learning’s from 10+ years marketing in the NFL, show the importance of branding through content, consistency and learning by failing first.

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