M&C Saatchi creates ASTRO for Puma Hybrid range

Puma hybrid range represented by AI tech athlete ASTRO in latest campaign by M&C Saatchi

M&C Saatchi Melbourne has teamed up with Puma, a sports apparel brand, in its latest campaign. The agency has created ASTRO to be the ultimate hybrid athlete to launch PUMA’s new hybrid range of apparel and footwear.

ASTRO is an AI athlete and is the product of an ambitious technology platform that utilises artificial intelligence and machine learning to assess people’s movements, evolving its ability accordingly.

According to a statement by M&C Saatchi Executive Creative Director, Emma Robbins, the hybrid range by Puma is meant to be a cross-trainer for people who do not train one way, people who are unexpected in where and how they work out, she added. In this direction, the agency wanted to create an unexpected idea that celebrated that, which was how ASTRO was born. As the AI athlete grows and evolves, so does the idea. He looks pretty sharp in the shoes too, Emma continued.

ASTRO, a perfect ambassador for Puma’s Hybrid range, was built in conjunction with Current Studios.

“ASTRO represents the most complicated physical AI experience ever produced. Users can train ASTRO in a variety of disciplines including power, agility and strength. The more people who train ASTRO, and the better their form, the better ASTRO will become,” said Steve Martel, Current Studios VP of Creative Technology.

Puma athletes were brought in to help ASTRO learn his moves. Scott Pendlebury, Renae Ingles, Sydney Stack and Katie Brennan have put in their work to help ASTRO progress in his ability in a number of different exercises session by session, skill by skill until every movement is mastered.

“Puma has always had a strong focus on training and the Hybrid product has been specifically designed for a generation that wants to train, however, wherever and whenever they want. ASTRO brilliantly brings this proposition to life,” said Oceania Goh, Puma Head of Marketing.

The brand’s ambassadors and fans in Melbourne had the first chance to train ASTRO as part of live activations that were hosted at the Chadstone Shopping Centre.

ASTRO is now trainable via the Puma Hybrid website. He has also teamed up with brand ambassadors for the roll-out campaign which spans out-of-home, online, in-store and social platforms.