Foot Locker Taps Flau’jae Johnson and Puma for ‘Stay in Rotation’ Campaign Aimed at Gen Z Consumers
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Footwear News may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
If you’re looking to attract Gen Z consumers, joining forces with Flau’jae Johnson is likely a winning move.
Foot Locker revealed its new style-focused “Stay in Rotation” campaign on Tuesday, an effort in partnership with Puma and starring the athletic brand’s multi-hyphenate ambassador. This campaign, the retail giant explained, was created to attract critically important Gen Z consumers who are “shaping their ever-evolving style and seeking limitless style choices.”
“What we’ve seen from the research, specifically with Gen Z, is a real shift in mindset these last few years when it comes to how they perceive and engage with sneaker culture,” Foot Locker senior vice president and chief customer officer Kim Waldmann told FN. “These kids are a bit worn out by hype culture and the idea of collecting sneakers just simply to accumulate more stuff. What Gen Z is really about is self-expression, experimenting with different looks, different vibes, and to be blunt, actually wearing the sneakers that you buy as a part of your outfit. This campaign directly connects into that mindset.”
Watch on FN
Though Foot Locker confirmed “Stay in Rotation” is a multibrand effort, which will feature different partners throughout the spring and summer, Waldmann stated Puma was the ideal partner to launch with.
“They were really a key partner in shaping the overall campaign style and story,” she said. “Their legacy in both basketball and fashion ties well into this campaign. When you pair that with our lead star, Flau’Jae’s bold and dynamic style, it brings a fresh energy and feels authentic to both sport and sneaker culture, which is what we’re trying to communicate.”
For “Stay in Rotation,” Johnson — who is a rapper and a podcaster when she’s not playing college basketball for LSU — wore three statement Puma sneakers with their own styling moment, including the sleek Speedcat, the Speedcat Ballet and the ballet-core Y2K skate-influenced La France.
These looks, Waldmann explained, are representative of what Gen Z consumers are seeking.
“In footwear, there’s a duality where they want what’s trending online, but they also want something versatile enough that they can wear it with different looks. They want their sneaker wardrobe to reflect the trend, whether that’s low profile, metallics or vis-tech, but it needs to be able to be glammed up or paired down, depending on the occasion,” she said.
Waldmann also noted that the “Stay in Rotation” campaign is directly connected to its ongoing Lace Up plan, which Foot Locker revealed in 2023. The plan is focused on diversifying the brand mix is one pillar of the plan, relaunching the Foot Locker brand with new store formats, maximizing its loyalty program and making investments in technology to improve the customer experience.
“[This] is a great example of showcasing our ability to invite a broader set of more fashion-led consumers in, as well as using the power of our brand and ‘Stripers’ [store employees] to show them the different ways to rock that product and really expand sneaker culture,” Waldman said.
Looking ahead, Waldmann said it will expand “Stay in Rotation” to include Foot Locker’s top brand partners, such as Adidas, New Balance, Nike and more into the spring and summer.
“You’ll see on-trend sneaker styles for Gen Z across retro classics, Y2K running, skate — the big trends in the marketplace right now,” she said. “You’ll continue to see us tap into the insights that drove this campaign, aiming to cement our leadership position in basketball with some key figures. You’ll also see us bring more consumers into the category, especially in women’s, through the lens of style and trend. And you’ll see us build authentic relationships with the consumer at the local level with ‘Stay in Rotation,’ which has a significant in store presence and amplified with our community messaging in key markets.”
Shop Top Puma Styles at Foot Locker
