PUMA: Nova ft Nomzamo Mbatha

For the drop of the new PUMA Nova, The MMMob got to snap candid and casual BTS style shots of Nomzamo Mbatha, making laid-back look luxe.

The Brief

PUMA SA was at it again, dropping a new silhouette of their NOVA sneakers. These shoes are designed for the ultimate girl boss – they’re unapologetic and upbeat, inspired by classic 90s running trainers. The focus for this range is energy and empowerment, bringing together femme fashion, and the spirit of sportiness.

To get the word out to sneakerheads nationwide, the brand wanted images of their local ambassador Nomzamo Mbatha, flexing the fly kicks. The snaps needed to have a User Generated Content (UGC) feel, which was candid, casual and allowed Nomzamo’s authentic essence to shine through. The images also needed to be able to sit comfortably next to the planned global content of the new NOVA, featuring Cara Delavigne.

MMMobsters

Creative Directors: Anthony Bila & Kenny Morifi-Winslow
Photographer: Mpumelelo Macu
Wardrobe Stylist: Mahlatse James
Production Assistant: Thabang Madia
Hair & Makeup: Nomzamo Glam Squad
Props Master: Mike Fernandez
Photo Retoucher: Ashiq Johnson
Graphic Design: Dale Anne Scogings

The MMMob Approach

We decided to shoot Nomzamo in the hair and make-up chair, before the lights and camera were on her, before she slipped into the role of a character. As an actress and TV personality, this behind-the-scenes style would allow her to be completely herself.

MMM executed the NOVA shoot, behind-the-scenes of another PUMA shoot, which the starlet was featuring in. Our MMMobster snapped the shots between setups for other scenes. This laid-back approach gave the shots a fun and effortless feel, which could easily be viewed as posts on her own Instagram feed.

The NOVA sneakers were not being launched alongside any apparel, and so our stylist had to source a look which worked with the concept, but allowed the sneakers to take centre stage. They found a pared-back PUMA tracksuit and tee, and accessorised the ensemble with a beanie.

Our MMMob Photographer shot hi-def images on his DSLR – and in addition, MMM got Nomzamo to shoot some selfies using a smartphone. These images were integrated into the professionally taken selects, to amplify the UGC feel which the client was after.

Once our Photo Editor had finalised the photos, our Graphic Designer added a layer of flair, to make an impact on social media. They arranged our images, and the global images of Cara, into a 9-block grid for Instagram. Constellation design elements were layered over the images, creating a striking unit of content. Each individual piece however, still worked in isolation. MMM encouraged discovery by placing video clips of the kicks behind some of the images, allowing a more interactive first look at the NOVA sneakers.