The U19 Euros success and media appearances triggered an avalanche of commercial interest. For every brand Marco was a hot commodity.
The global sportswear brands also saw him as a potential customer.
Thomas Krahn's phone rang constantly for hours. He has almost finished hearing the offers from those giants, and is in the midst of a talk with Marco.
First of all of them in Nike. They are interested in giving Marco a standard youth deal of €30,000/year. It's a decent offer.
Same for adidas. They have promised a slightly better deal—€40,000/year, generic boot sponsorship.
Although these two has shown interest, they are not focused on him and there is no considerable investment.
Nike is already heavily invested in established stars such as Ronaldinho and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Adidas is also running the same policy. They are focusing on the established stars like Beckham, Kaka, Messi.
He can take either of the offers since there are no major differences or interest in either of them.
But the offer interested them most was not these.
It was from puma.
For some reason, they have requested a special meeting and are hinting about a certain "unique opportunity"
"Mr. Krahn, this is Andreas Weber from Puma Football. We'd like to fly you and Marco to our headquarters in Herzogenaurach for a presentation. We have a proposition that we think will interest you both."
"What kind of proposition?" Krahn asked, skeptical.
"Not a standard endorsement deal. Something more strategic. We'd prefer to present it in person. Can you come Thursday?"
Krahn glanced at his calendar. "I'll need to discuss with Marco and his parents."
"Of course. But Mr. Krahn—we're very serious about this. We think Marco could be special for us."
—that was how that conversation went.
"What do you think?" Marco asked with some apparent curiosity.
"I think we listen. Nike and Adidas made low offers—they don't need you, they already have stars. But Puma... they're the third brand, trying to compete. Maybe they see something others don't."
"Then what's next?"
"Thursday. Herzogenaurach. You, me, and your parents need to be there. It's a professional presentation. First we hear them out, then decide."
* * *
June 14, 2007 - Puma Headquarters, Herzogenaurach:
The Puma campus was impressive—with modern buildings, football pitches, a small museum showcasing their history and characteristically fresh air.
Marco, his parents, and Thomas Krahn were escorted into a conference room with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the grounds.
Five Puma executives sat there waiting for them. Andreas Weber (Marketing Director), two brand strategists, the Head of Football Partnerships, and someone introduced as "Future Brand Development."
Weber stood there, extending his hand.He was a man who exudes the essence of the word "corporate professionalism" from his actions.
After some pleasantries he went directly to the topic.
"Marco, Mr. and Mrs. Reus, Thomas—thank you for coming. We'll get straight to it."
He clicked a remote. The screen behind him lit up with Marco's image—tournament highlights, interview clips, statistics.
Weber: "Marco Reus. Eighteen years old. UEFA U19 European Champion. Player of the Tournament. Top scorer. But here's what interests us most—"
The screen changed to newspaper clippings.
There are several of them, but they all shared the same theme— Dortmund, loyalty, character.
Weber paused. "Loyalty. Authenticity. A young player who rejects Bayern Munich—multiple times—for a struggling Dortmund team. That's rare. That's valuable."
He clicked again. Charts appeared: social media engagement, media mentions, sentiment analysis.
Brand Strategist: "Since the U19 Euros, Marco's media presence has increased 340%. But more importantly, sentiment is overwhelmingly positive. He's not seen as arrogant or money-driven. He's the 'local boy done good.' The loyal star. That narrative is marketing gold."
Weber: "Nike has Ronaldo, Ronaldinho—galácticos. Adidas has Messi, Kaká—superstars. They don't need another young German winger."
He leaned forward. "But Puma needs exactly that. We're the challenger brand. We need athletes who represent something different."
Marco's father spoke up. "With all due respect, what are you actually offering? My son is talented, but he hasn't played a single Bundesliga match yet."
Weber smiled. "Exactly. Which is why this isn't a standard boot deal."
He nodded to the Future Brand Development executive, a woman in her thirties who stood and clicked to a new presentation.
Executive: "We're not offering Marco a sponsorship. We're offering a partnership."
New slide: "PUMA YOUTH AMBASSADOR PROGRAM - MARCO REUS"
She continued: "Here's the proposition. We sign Marco now, before he's expensive. We invest in him not just as an athlete, but as a brand. In exchange, if—and this is critical—if he meets certain milestones, we build a personal brand around him. And of course, it's not unique to one player alone. We are planning to invest in several talented players as part of our youth ambassador program. So risks are minimal."
Krahn: "I need you to be a little more specific than that. What are the 'milestones' mentioned here?"
Executive: "Fair question. Here's the structure."
A detailed breakdown appeared on screen:
#PHASE 1: Foundation (2007-2009)
-Contract: 3 years
-Annual Payment: €60,000/year (€5,000 monthly)
-Deliverables: Boot sponsorship, 4 promotional appearances annually
-Role: Puma Youth Ambassador
-Requirements: Professional conduct, no competitor endorsements
#PHASE 2: Escalation Clause (IF milestones met by 2009)
-Milestone 1: 20+ Bundesliga goal contributions in two seasons
-Milestone 2: Germany senior national team call-up
-Milestone 3: Maintain "loyalty brand" (no club transfers during this period)
#If all three met:
-Contract automatically extends 3 years (through 2012)
-Payment increases to €250,000/year
-opportunity for personal Brand Creation: "Reus" signature boot line development
-Marketing campaign built around him
-Profit-sharing on signature products (15%)
#PHASE 3: Superstar Clause (IF milestones met by 2012)
-Milestone 1: Champions League appearances with Dortmund
-Milestone 2: Germany World Cup squad (2010 or 2014)
-Milestone 3: Top 3 Bundesliga scorer or 30+ G/A season
*If met:
-Payment increases to €1,000,000+/year
-Full signature line (boots, apparel, training gear)
-Profit-sharing increases to 25%
-Global marketing campaigns