I really should be writing that Under Armour has at its disposal a host of incredible stories about the athletes they sponsor. My biggest issue with UA is that they seem to lack direction in marketing and they overlook what they have in house to build brand awareness.
Under Armour has all of the boxes checked when it comes to reaching the consumer. They have an active social media feed on Twitter, IG and Facebook. They may underutilize video, but they are getting better at creating content on YouTube. They use their e-mail system to share promotional items, but what they have failed to do at a time when storytelling is the most important promotional tool a brand has, is create stories.
Right now a visit to the UA site does not deliver any storytelling that will inspire people to interact and buy the brand.
The website is becoming a forgotten tool in converting the consumer. Under Armour uses pictures on the site, but there isn’t any information that doesn’t seem to be from the mind of the marketing team. The athletes they endorse aren’t given a voice and in all honesty I can’t even find who the athletes are on the site. I do know one athlete; I know more than one, but I’m not the average consumer or visitor to the site.
Kent Bazemore is the guy UA should begin with.
I’m not saying Baze deserves a signature shoe, but for a guy who runs a great foundation https://armsfoundation.org, a guy who brought Under Armour their best athlete in Steph Curry, a guy who went undrafted (although he excelled in the toughest aspect of basketball – defense), a guy who does the greatest photobombs (I know that’s not a real reason, but hey the dude has hilarious photo/videobombs), a guy…
This is getting ridiculous right? Not really. Kent Bazemore is the type of guy who motivates kids and adults alike. He reached the highest level of professional sports and continues to grow as a pro while also delivering some of the best coverage on television and in shows like Road Trippin NBA. The guy is going to be in the booth after his career is finished and could be a great replacement/addition to the NBA on TNT crew (he is in Atlanta now).
This isn’t really all about Kent Bazemore. It’s about Under Armour and what I see as a great way for the brand to connect to a consumer that has UA as a last option out of the Big Three for footwear and apparel in many instances. Baze is a great story and the story should be told via Under Armour’s site. Under Armour has built in narratives and a series of stories with its endorsers and while they are doing a better job of crafting the narrative, #unlikeany was amazing, UA is best known for a loudmouth linebacker who currently gets compared to Uncle Ruckus from the Boondocks.
Baze is Under Armour. He’s what the brand is all about. Baze, Will Barton – drafted in the second round, Mudiay – traveled an unconventional route to the NBA, the guys who made a decision to go with Under Armour all have a story to tell. Under Armour has athletes in every sport that are accomplishing incredible things who should be given a larger role in the WEBSITE, not just social media. When a person searches for Under Armour they tend to visit the site. When your site is just a splash page instead of a tool for information and education, you’re missing an opportunity to convert.
I think Baze is a great guy to start with and with Steph’s recent injury Under Armour’s failure to connect UA Basketball to more than one athlete can become a really big issue.
Note: A few years back Under Armour began a marketing campaign with “Outwork Everyone” it died on the vine. It shouldn’t have. It should come back with a “Force”/”Brotherhood” styled photo campaign for the Drive 4 featuring UAS apparel. Here are a few links below if you’d like to rock what Baze is wearing this season.
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