Sports brand PUMA India has onboarded cricketers Riyan Parag and Nitish Kumar Reddy to strengthen its connection with Gen Z consumers.
Riyan Parag, a 22-year-old right-hand batsman from Guwahati, is noted for being the highest run-getter among uncapped players in a recent cricket league and was part of the victorious Indian Under-19 team at the 2018 Under-19 Cricket World Cup. Nitish Kumar Reddy, a 21-year-old all-rounder from Andhra Pradesh, has gained attention for earning the Emerging Player title in the recent cricket league.
Parag and Reddy will promote PUMA’s footwear, apparel, athleisure, and accessories through various events and initiatives.
“Being part of a brand that champions performance and innovation is truly inspiring. I am excited to represent PUMA and hope to motivate young cricketers to follow their passion with the same commitment and enthusiasm that the sports giant embodies,” Riyan Parag said.
A recent Instagram Trend Talk preview for 2024 highlighted that nine out of ten Gen Z individuals in India consider themselves part of a fandom, with India having the highest percentage of sports superfans among Gen Z globally.
“I am eager to represent the sports brand both on and off the field. I believe that together, we can achieve amazing things and inspire the next wave of athletes to follow their dreams with the same passion and commitment,” Nitish Kumar Reddy said.
PUMA’s brand ambassadors include Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Harmanpreet Kaur, MC Mary Kom, Avani Lakhera, Ibrahim Ali Khan, and Shanaya Kapoor. The brand has a social media community of 13 million followers.
PUMA is a leading sports brand that designs, develops, sells, and markets footwear, apparel, and accessories. It offers performance and sport-inspired lifestyle products in categories such as Football, Running and Training, Basketball, Golf, and Motorsports. The PUMA Group owns the brands PUMA, Cobra Golf, and stichd, distributes products in over 120 countries, employs about 20,000 people worldwide, and is headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany.