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Puma unlaces fitness tracking app to complement social media blitz

Puma is incorporating a strong mobile element into its second Forever Faster campaign by updating a running application for fitness enthusiasts as well as a mobile-optimized microsite featuring inspirational videos from famous athletes.

The fitness brand is aiming to challenge more individuals to dedicate time into training and pump additional positivity back into sports by asking fans to make a pact via its PumaTrac app. Consumers can also visit the microsite to find out how famous athletes stay in shape, and may upload their personal fitness goals to social media using the #NoMatterWhat hashtag.

?[Fitness-tracking apps have] proven to be a perfect fit,? said Steve Rowen, managing partner at Retail Systems Research, Miami. ?What?s funny to me is that the old standard business line ?you can?t manage what you can?t measure? has now crept into so many aspects of our personal lives.

?Twenty years ago someone who monitored his or her daily caloric intake down to the number and every fitness step they took/performed?? he said. ?That person, was he or she not an Olympic-quality athlete, would likely have been seen as completely neurotic.

?Today, it?s an absolute norm among desk workers, moms, grandparents ? it?s remarkable.?

Driving consumer engagement
Puma is seeking to kick up customer excitement and engagement on mobile via its Forever Faster campaign. Consumers can visit puma.com/training on their smartphones to view the mobile-optimized site, which features unique training stories and videos of athletes including Usain Bolt and Sergio Agüero.

Visitors may click on the image of the athlete whose video they would like to watch to be taken to a separate page. There, they may watch the clip, read a short biography and a motivational statement by the athlete, and shop the Puma footwear showcased in the video.

Each celebrity has selected several other top Puma athletic wear picks, which are displayed at the bottom of his or her page.

The microsite aims to drive downloads of the brand?s new PumaTrac app, and issues a call-to-action to consumers to make a pact to train harder. Users may click one of the links to visit the Apple App or Google Play stores, and are also encouraged to upload their goals to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the #NoMatterWhat hashtag.

Running companion
The PumaTrac app was designed to function as a running companion for fans of the brand as well as drive Puma?s self-described rally cry, ?No Matter What.? Users will be guided by a series of tools and motivational features that they may need in their commitment to become faster, stronger and fiercer.

The app offers updates on current weather conditions for athletes who prefer to train outside, and is able to provide insights into factors that may affect runners? performance, such as days of the week, location and music choices.

Consumers may choose to tap the Spotify option within the app to work out to some new tunes, or listen to music previously downloaded onto their devices.

Runners will now be able to deduce whether Fridays or Mondays are their most productive day, or if rock music is an optimal workout soundtrack for them. They may also use the GPS feature to discover new routes in their cities, try their friends? favorites and share their own.

The app is available for download for iOS and Android platforms, as well as the Pebble smartwatch.

While the app does include standard fitness-tracking features, its personal elements will likely sway consumers to use it over a competitor, and potentially become Puma fans if they are not already.

?A lot of the data I?ve seen shows that it?s not just about keeping personal goals and accountability, but that accountability to friends and colleagues is even more likely to drive personal,? Mr. Rowen said. ?So I expect to see a lot more of these types of solutions: not just the ability to track fitness, but the ability to share those challenges and accomplishments with whomever you choose.?

Final Take
Alex Samuely is an editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York