Why Was Under Armour’s Marketing Strategy Successful?
To uncover the secrets behind Under Armour’s marketing success, we asked eight industry professionals to share their insights. From creating genuine content that connects with the audience to using a combination distribution channel, these experts, including CEOs, marketing managers, and business development professionals, reveal the key factors that contributed to the brand’s triumph.
- Genuine Content Connects With the Audience
- Quality Products and Aspirational Identity
- Leveraging Celebrity Partnerships
- Engaging Audience Through Philanthropy
- Social Media and Emotional Storytelling
- Focus On Performance and Collaboration
- Targeting Athletes With Inspiration
- Combination Distribution Channel
Genuine Content Connects With the Audience
Under Armour’s success is rooted in creating genuine content that inspires people to strive for greatness. Their “I Will What I Want” campaign is a prime example of this, as it features female athletes who overcame adversity to achieve their dreams.
By aligning its messaging with the aspirations of its target audience, Under Armour has become a go-to brand for athletes. Also, showcasing the human side of sports and fitness helped this brand attract beginning fitness enthusiasts. It created a powerful connection with its audience and positioned itself as a brand that truly understands what it takes to succeed.
Natalia Brzezinska
Marketing and Outreach Manager, ePassportPhoto
Quality Products and Aspirational Identity
One reason Under Armour’s marketing strategy was successful is that it focused on providing quality products and creating an aspirational brand identity. They targeted athletes and active people and created content that resonated with their target audience.
They also used influencer marketing and sponsorships to raise awareness and create a buzz around their brand. Their smart use of digital media, including social media and search engine optimization, helped to spread the word about their brand and products.
Jaya Iyer
Marketing Assistant, Teranga Digital Marketing
Leveraging Celebrity Partnerships
Under Armour is incredibly savvy and knows how to capitalize on the power of celebrity. Their partnership with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson stands as proof.
When you partner with one of the most popular and highest-paid movie stars in the world to sell your products, and he also is a huge fitness advocate, your marketing strategy can’t help but succeed, especially when your customer base is mostly young and 69% male.
Add sports stars like Steph Curry and Michael Phelps into the celebrity mix, and you get massive Under Armour exposure, endorsements, and brand recognition—at the highest level.
Linda Scorzo
CEO, Hiring Indicators
Engaging Audience Through Philanthropy
Under Armour’s marketing strategy was as successful as it was because it positively engaged with its audience. Sharing their philanthropic initiatives with the public increased brand perception and awareness.
By also informing customers about ways they could get involved, the programs gained more efficacy too. This also established a sense of loyalty between client and consumer because everyone was doing their part for the greater good.
Alexandre Robicquet
Co-founder and CEO, Crossing Minds
Social Media and Emotional Storytelling
Under Armour’s marketing plan worked because it smartly used social media to promote user-generated content. Using social proof, the company gave its target audience a sense of community and belonging. This made them love the brand even more.
For example, Under Armour’s “I Will What I Want” campaign with Misty Copeland received much praise. Many people talked about it on social media. The campaign told Copeland’s inspiring story and showed off her athletic skills to inspire women to follow their dreams and go against the norm. Through this campaign, Under Armour connected with its audience emotionally and made a deep, lasting connection beyond selling products.
Using social media and emotional stories, Under Armour could connect with its target audience and build a community of brand fans. These strategies and the company’s focus on innovation and quality helped it carve out a unique place in the market and become a leading brand in athletic wear.
Pete Evering
Business Development Manager, Utopia Management
Focus On Performance and Collaboration
Under Armour essentially created a brand that focused on helping athletes perform better, not just look better. Many brands nowadays focus on just producing products that will make their customers look good, deviating away from the functionality and usability of the product. Under Armour stayed true to its core of helping athletes. They also collaborated with big names in the sports industry, such as Tom Brady and Lindsey Vonn, hence making their followers really trust the brand.
Craig Miller
Co-founder, Psychologist, and Academician, Academia Labs
Targeting Athletes With Inspiration
One reason Under Armour’s marketing strategy was successful is that it focused on targeting athletes and sports enthusiasts rather than the public. Under Armour’s founder, Kevin Plank, recognized that athletes needed high-performance clothing that could withstand the rigors of their sports, and he developed a moisture-wicking fabric that quickly became popular among athletes.
Under Armour’s marketing strategy leveraged this niche appeal by creating powerful, inspirational messaging that appealed to athletes’ ambitions, goals, and values. Under Armour’s “Protect This House” campaign, for example, used bold and aggressive messaging to create a sense of unity and strength among athletes.
By focusing on this niche audience and creating a strong brand identity, Under Armour could build a loyal customer base and establish itself as a leading sports apparel brand.
Michał Pożoga
VP of Marketing, ConQuest Consulting
Combination Distribution Channel
Under Armour employs a combination distribution channel, which combines its retail stores and its online store, to get its products to customers in the last mile of the purchasing process.
The website provides a whole selection of products and offers distribution to over 200 countries in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, Asia, and Africa.
On the other hand, the retail stores may be divided into two categories: UA Brand House and UA Factory House. The former only carries the finest designs and pieces, while the latter only carries trademark products.
Alex Constantinou
Managing Director, The Fitness Circle
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