PUMA introduces thousands of new products annually on its e-commerce platform, leveraging Imagen on Vertex AI to generate tailored product visuals and enhance the speed of campaign launches.

PUMA and Google Cloud have announced an expanded partnership aimed at enhancing the digital shopping experience for millions of PUMA customers globally through the use of generative AI. PUMA has pioneered the use of AI-generated imagery in its online store, leveraging Imagen 2 on Vertex AI to produce dynamic and personalized product visuals. This innovation is not only improving click-through rates but also speeding up the launch of PUMA’s digital marketing campaigns worldwide.

With Imagen 2 on Vertex AI, PUMA can create relevant imagery, including customized background visuals that align with the product, customer preferences, and regional characteristics. Although the technology is accessible globally, it allows PUMA marketers in specific regions to adapt content to meet local market demands. For instance, online shoppers in Japan might see a lifestyle shoe showcased in the vibrant streets of Ginza or a trail running shoe set against the backdrop of Mt. Fuji. In addition to generating images, Imagen on Vertex AI serves as a robust editing tool, assisting PUMA's content editors with labor-intensive tasks such as shadowing, composition, color accuracy, resolution, and product placement.

Since transitioning its e-commerce platform, including PUMA.com, to Google Cloud earlier this year, PUMA has reaped substantial benefits across its online shopping operations. The integration of Google Cloud’s data and AI tools has led to an increase in average order value (AOV) through enhanced personalized content, while PUMA’s retail teams have significantly shortened the time required to bring products to market, allowing for immediate product availability upon arrival at the warehouse.

“At PUMA, all product creations always starts with the consumer first in mind and we have the ambition to be as personal as possible in each interaction with our consumers. Google Cloud’s generative AI has allowed us to create an immersive experience that is tailored to each consumer, and we are already seeing the benefits,” said Arne Freundt, CEO of PUMA.

PUMA is set to investigate Imagen 3, the latest and most advanced text-to-image model from Google Cloud, as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance and scale campaign development in the future. Additionally, the sports brand aims to broaden the use of Google Cloud’s Vertex AI Search for Retail across more subsidiaries to boost average order value (AOV) and improve the overall conversion rate of shoppers.

“Google Cloud is assisting companies across various sectors in enhancing customer experiences through generative AI-powered agents, and our collaboration with PUMA exemplifies this. The creative agent developed by PUMA using our cutting-edge Imagen technology is elevating personalization and delivering tangible business outcomes,” stated Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud.