#CHOOSETRICKS and Play Loud - Ad Analysis

In the hyper-competitive sportswear market, standing out is half the battle. With its 2016 '#CHOOSETRICKS and Play Loud' campaign, Puma didn't just whisper; it shouted. The campaign was built to launch its new, audaciously designed two-colored football boots, a product that by its very nature demanded attention. The core strategy was to transform a product feature—the mismatched colors—into a player philosophy: the courage to be different, to be loud, and to be disruptive.

The core insight driving this work is that for many young, aspiring players, football is as much about self-expression as it is about performance. They idolize players who have a unique swagger and confidence, those who break the mold. This ad taps directly into that desire, framing the PUMA Tricks boots as the essential gear for the individualist, the maverick who isn't afraid to make some noise. The execution follows a clear Setup-Turn-Payoff structure. The setup establishes the 'Play Loud' ethos across a series of vignettes that place PUMA's star athletes in environments where they clearly don't belong. We see Marco Reus leading a crew onto a gritty street court with flares, Olivier Giroud and Antoine Griezmann turning a luxury hotel suite into a playground, and Marco Verratti causing chaos in a stuffy library. In each case, the players' incredible skill is matched by their disruptive energy, and their vibrant, mismatched boots are the focal point of the action. This isn't about quiet practice; it's about unapologetic presence.

The 'Turn' arrives with Cesc Fàbregas at a press conference. Besieged by a media scrum, he subverts the situation entirely. Instead of answering questions, he holds a microphone up to a speaker, amplifying the ad's pounding soundtrack. This is the literal interpretation of 'Play Loud'—a rejection of the expected in favor of the brand's confident, aggressive rhythm. The 'Payoff' seamlessly transitions us to the place where it all matters: the pitch. A dynamic, first-person view culminates with Sergio Agüero, wearing the boots, scoring in a packed stadium. This final scene closes the loop, proving that the rebellious attitude fostered off the pitch translates directly to game-winning dominance on it.

The debrief for the creative team would be largely positive. The campaign successfully created a powerful, energetic narrative perfectly suited for its product and its young, social-media-savvy target audience. The use of multiple stars in varied, high-concept scenarios kept the film engaging and visually dynamic. However, the strategic foundation is built on the well-trodden ground of the 'rebel athlete.' While the execution is polished, the core idea feels heavily inspired by decades of Nike advertising. The challenge for PUMA remains to evolve this energy into an attitude that is truly its own, moving beyond effective imitation to genuine innovation in its brand storytelling.