Here's why Puma changed its brand signage to PVMA across India

Puma India changed its brand signage of various stores across the country, which sparked discussion on social media. While some speculated that it was a spelling error others perceived it as a marketing strategy. The brand name 'PUMA' was changed to 'PVMA'.

While some netizens presumed it was an error on the company's part, it was later revealed that this was a clever marketing strategy to attract eyeballs ahead of a major announcement.

In reality, these changes were made because two-time Olympic medallist and badminton icon P V Sindhu has signed a multi-year partnership with the sportswear brand, marking its foray into badminton.

Puma will not only create products specially for Sindhu, but also plans to launch a special high-performance range of products for badminton players which will include footwear, apparel and accessories.

According to a report by Google-Deloitte Think Sports, badminton is the second-most popular sport in India after cricket in urban areas. The company wishes to tap into the sport’s growing fan base of 57 million in the country and boost its presence in India's fast expanding sports market.

Sindhu was recently featured in the 2024 Forbes World’s Highest-Paid Female Athletes, and also leads as the world’s most-followed badminton player on Instagram, with a staggering fan base of 4 million followers.

Puma, through this partnership, aims to inspire the next generation, particularly among India’s youth, with badminton’s popularity soaring—27.8 million Gen Z fans follow the sport, and active participation has risen 65 per cent in the past four years.

As per a report by India Today, Sindhu is excited to join Puma, which shares her passion for pushing boundaries. She said, “Badminton has been a platform for growth and self-discovery for me, and through this partnership, I want to inspire others, especially women, to take risks, believe in themselves, and aim higher,”

Managing Director of Puma India, Karthik Balagopalan, added, “Sindhu is a legend and a trailblazer, and we are proud & delighted to welcome her into our Puma family. Her extraordinary legacy in Indian sports which includes a lot of historic firsts has not only placed India on the badminton map globally but has also inspired millions of youngsters to chase excellence, making her the perfect fit for Puma. As PV continues to shape the future of badminton, this partnership reflects our shared passion to push sports forward and inspire more youngsters and especially young women to dream big.”

This collaboration will officially debut at the India Open 2025 in New Delhi.