Anthony Joshua & Under Armour sign long-term renewal partnership ahead of pivotal year. To mark the occasion UA has produced an AI commercial ‘Forever Is Made Now,’ as AJ prepares for the Ngannou fight on March 8th.
Due to this circumstance Under Armour had to grow without the benefit of hoops culture first and then without the advent of social media (which has empowered brands like Hoka and On).
Because sneaker culture generates sales in the U.S. market and old grassroots strategies fueled by Nike and adidas contribute to performance basketball sales and connection with younger consumers, Under Armour is in a constant conundrum of decision making in marketing. I’ve long stated the importance of the niche for UA. You can try to be cool, but it’s a waste of effort when the niche allows for beautiful storytelling and connection.
The brand did misfire in the niche at one point. Under Armour held both Canelo and Anthony Joshua on their boxing team. Boxing is a niche sport and doesn’t necessarily connect to the daily consumer especially in the U.S. Canelo opened the door to opportunities in Mexico and Joshua led the charge in Europe. Unfortunately, Under Armour missed on landing the connections for both athletes in a meaningful way and Canelo and the brand parted ways:
Under Armour Should Be Promoting Boxing More | Anthony Joshua vs Vladimir Klitschko 2017
Under Armour hasn’t been as sluggish with Anthony Joshua and according to Start.io, the investment has shown a quantifiable measurement of growth in EMEA. “Europe: Sales saw a 5.1% increase.”
“Under Armour’s partnership with AJ has been instrumental in the growth of the brand in the EMEA region over the past eight years. Still as humble and hungry as ever, AJ continues to be an inspiration for millions around the world, both inside and outside the ring. We look forward to more success together in this next chapter,” said Kevin Ross, Managing Director EMEA at Under Armour.
In the last year Joshua helped to launch the Battersea Concept store in London and now with an upcoming battle against Francis Ngannou, UA has delivered the video above. Joshua is an amazing influencer for the brand and is comparable to the Rock on some levels.
When AJ enters the ring on March 8th the UA logo will be prominently featured on his trunks, but that’s not the win. The Ngannou vs Fury fight underperformed in viewership. Joshua is a better draw, but the numbers probably won’t be dazzling.
Under Armour (and all brands) must begin to utilize media and partnerships to deliver content around events featuring their sponsored athletes. There isn’t anything schedule surrounding the fight and it will be a missed touchpoint for UA, but at least the brand recognizes the opportunity.
