Source: UA Newsroom
Someone clicked on this link and immediately expected to see Joel Embiid or Mo Bamba. Someone was thinking that it was an NFL guy to replace the GOAT Tom Brady. I intentionally placed the design team’s drawing in the head of this post because at first glance the tech specs look like a shoe for football. Under Armour’s latest signature athlete is the first athlete I’ve seen in a niche sport to attain a signature shoe.
In the above picture UA designer Sean Denniston and Under Armour’s newest signature athlete Cam Hanes, collaborate to create a performance boot capable of handling the rigors of hiking and big game hunting. This is an important step for Under Armour who has finally stated a goal for regaining the ground that it lost as it dabbled in the acquisition of tech and lost its way by failing to promote and create stories around product built for the market that made the company into a billion dollar business capable of inspiring fear in more established brands.
In 2017 I wrote an article detailing how Under Armour could begin to fight. I didn’t want the brand to dive into the deep end of the battle with Nike and adidas. Under Armour would never win meeting those companies on the battlefields of fashion and basketball. Where UA had an advantage is in its athletes and in particular the fringe:
Under Armour Can Win From The “Niche-Out” Canelo Alvarez vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr
I developed a strategy:
Niche-Out Marketing & E.N.D.E.A.R.S©
It appears that Under Armour took the concept to heart. Their decision to reach the Focused Performer has generated a new signature athlete and it’s a risk.
The boot is a combination of best-in-class technology systems, and a new benchmark for UA outdoor footwear. The team took the best fit system – BOA – the best waterproofing/breathability layer – GORE-TEX – and the best foundation – Vibram – and combined them for unmatched athletic functionality. Design innovations from the CH1 are already being implemented in future footwear offerings across multiple Under Armour platforms.
When I say this is a risk and it’s a good risk, this is why. Under Armour isn’t attempting to be politically correct. Big Game Hunting is not readily accepted by everyone. In many cases it’s seen as mistreatment of animals. The reality is that Under Armour’s base has always been in hunting and the brand has ignored that base for years. While the company places their gear in sporting goods stores, they haven’t catered to that population because they’ve been trying to be something they aren’t. UA isn’t a tech company. It isn’t a basketball company, yet… You know where you can see UA being promoted on a daily basis? On the back of trucks and on gear and hats inside of Bass Pro.
Marketing and strategy is about staying true to what you are. That doesn’t mean you’re alienating or playing both sides of the fence. As Under Armour develops the niche they reach their consumer. As the brand begins to improve on design and marketing in other areas, those consumers will come along. Business is never either/or; business is the constant understanding that every segment you want to gain access to should be catered to in an honest fashion.
This signature may not be who you thought it would be, but it is definitely the right move.