HUSL Hosts Puma Team

On Friday, April 12, the Harvard Undergraduate Sports Lab welcomed four executives from Brand Heat, Puma’s innovative brand partnerships and marketing team to discuss their part in working at the third largest sportswear manufacturer in the world. The panel comprised David Ballin, Senior Director of Product Heat; Ariel Weekes, Program Lead DEI Social Justice; Ian Forde, Lead Strategist of Product Heat; and Melissa Gaffey, Senior Product Heat Operations Manager. Panelists spoke about their experience working with some of the largest names in the world like Neymar, Rhianna, Usain Bolt, and LaMelo Ball, sharing stories about how each partnership came to be and how they work to stay authentic to each celebrity’s vision and brand. In addition, they shared how they balance staying relevant in culture while remaining loyal to their classics that have continued to be top sellers like the Suede Classics. They showed special attention to looking for underrepresented areas in the sneaker market, like making sneakers that are created especially for women as they have done with their Fenty line with Rihanna and collaborations with other female stars like Dua Lipa.

Not only were guests able to learn about the jobs of the panelists and the vision of Brand Heat, but the panelists also offered insights into their career paths, skills that foster success in their current jobs, and their hopes for the future which was especially informative for club members hoping to pursue careers in sports. As David Ballin advised, “To be successful in our industry, to rise through the corporate politics, you need self-confidence and the ability to take your lumps and get back up. Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% of how you react."

Lastly, attendees had the opportunity to ask the panelists a variety of questions which they answered with detail and care.

This event celebrated the culmination of a very busy and successful year for the Harvard Undergraduate Sports Lab!