Sounds like that RiRi effect is in full swing. Puma announced Friday morning that its sales grew 7.6% in the second quarter of the year.
According to CEO Bjørn Gulden, that growth owes primarily to a strong showing from Puma’s footwear segment, which was up 16.2 percent compared to the same period last year. Apparel sales were pretty flat, showing a .3 percent decline, while sales of accessories were up 3.6 percent. During the same period, Puma also started featuring Rihanna “prominently” in its in-store marketing for its women’s training styles during the second quarter. It is what it is right.
Puma’s first “Rihanna-inspired styles” hit stores in the second half of the year, and her own collection will drop in 2016.
Of course, having Rihanna as the face of your brand comes at a price. Puma reportedly spent 20.4 percent more (around $392 million) than the previous quarter due to its partnerships with the singer as well as the English football club Arsenal. But that’s a small price to pay for someone with a powerhouse presence in the media and loyal following as Rihanna.
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