Rise of the Underdog
Over two decades Under Armour hasn’t been sweating the small stuff having experienced enormous growth and demand for its revolutionary products catapulting the brand into worldwide recognition.
It all started in 1996 when former Maryland football player Kevin Plank got tired of his heavy, loose-fitting sweat-drenched football gear. It was then, that he recognized a need for sports-tailored apparel and decided to start a company that would revolutionize the industry. His goal was to create comfortable clothes that would keep athletes cool during physical activities while also optimizing movement and reducing moisture and tightness.
With $20k of his own personal savings and $40k of credit card debt Kevin started Under Armour from the basement of his grandmother’s Washington D.C. home. It was here that Plank would take his first step on a journey that would one day lead him to head one of the most successful sports clothing brands in the world.
Under Armour is 23 years old, and although that might seem like a long time, compared to other brands like Nike, which is closing on 60, and Adidas that’s going on 70, Under Armour has come a long way for a relatively new kid on the block. How UA grew so fast can be attributed to a number of things, those being their knack for identifying trends, passion for sports apparel, technological innovation, strategic marketing, promotional savvy and relationship-building skills.
A Blow by Blow!
On all the moments that made Under Armour what it is today.
1996
PROTOTYPE #0037 – “THE SHORTY”
The shirt that started it all. It was soft. It was skin-tight. It was stretchy. And, most importantly, it wicked sweat faster than anything else out there, keeping athletes cool, dry and light. Under Armour’s first product did $17,000 in sales which is a stark contrast to their now estimated $5B in annual sales.
1997
HEATGEAR® FOR WHEN IT’S HOT & COLDGEAR® FOR WHEN IT’S COLD
After delivering on the keep-you-cool promise of HeatGear® with the first T-shirt, Under Armour introduced its now-famous ColdGear® fabric, which keeps athletes warm, dry, and light in cold conditions. Then there’s AllSeasonGear®, which keeps athletes comfortable between the extremes.
1998
THE MOVE TO BALTIMORE
Under Armour moved operations from a rowhouse in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington D.C. to an all-new headquarters and warehouse in Baltimore, MD, the city it has called home ever since.
1999
THE BIG BREAK
Under Armour signed on to supply products for the Oliver Stone film Any Given Sunday starring Al Pacino and Jamie Foxx. In key scenes of the film, the football team wore Under Armour apparel and accessories and athletes everywhere took notice. This was one of the well-thought-out marketing moves that launched the Under Armour brand into the public space, rapidly increasing its brand awareness and the consumer’s interest.
2000
ESPN THE MAGAZINE
Eager to capitalize on the instant fame from Any Given Sunday, the Under Armour team volunteered to forgo their paychecks so that the start-up could buy its first print ad, a half-page in ESPN the Magazine. The move paid off, generating awareness for the Under Armour brand and a $750,000 increase in sales.
2001
MAJOR LEAGUES
Enter the new millennium and Under Armour became the official supplier of the National Hockey League, and inked licensing deals with Major League Baseball and USA Baseball, along with key retail partners, ensuring further growth and media attention.
2002
THE ARMOUR UNDERNEATH
Under Armour launched its first line of performance underwear. Made to stretch, recover, stay put, wick sweat, and breathe, it promised athletes they’d never want to wear regular underwear ever again.
2003
PROTECT THIS HOUSE
Under Armour’s first national television advert, the now-legendary Protect this House® commercial, featured former University of Maryland football standout Eric “Big E” Ogbogu. The ad established Under Armour as the authentic voice for the next generation and introduced the concept of “WILL,” a theme that remains an undeniable part of the brand’s DNA till this day.
2004
BACK TO BASICS
Eight years after its launch, Under Armour became the official outfitter of University of Maryland athletics, where the idea for the brand was born.
2005
GOING PUBLIC
On November 18, 2005, Under Armour went public, trading at NASDAQ under “UARM” and became the first U.S.-based initial public offering in five years to double on its first day of trading.
2006
CLICK CLACK
Under Armour made the leap into footwear with the introduction of its first line of football cleats. The brand captured a 23 percent share of the market in its first year and became the official footwear supplier to the NFL .
2007
BRAND HOUSE
Under Armour’s first Brand House retail store opened in Annapolis, Maryland.
2009
ATHLETES RUN
Under Armour made its first strides into the running category with the launch of its performance footwear line.
2010
BILLION DOLLAR BRAND
By nearly quadrupling its revenues in a five-year period, Under Armour surpassed $1 billion in annual revenue just 15 years after the company’s founding in grandma’s basement. Kevin Plank marked the occasion by signing the box that made the milestone.
2011
CHARGED COTTON®
After years of waging war on cotton, Under Armour further cemented its reputation for relentless innovation by developing Charged Cotton®, a fabric that dries faster than regular cotton, but feels just as soft and comfortable.
2012
ARMOUR BRA®
The sports bra was reinvented. Under Armour talked with everyday athletes and tested hundreds of prototypes to develop the perfect performance fit for its revolutionary Armour Bra™. Designed by women for women, UA took the innovative approach of uniquely constructing each specific cup size to deliver unmatched, made-for-you comfort and support. Finally, a bra built to fit athletes perfectly.
2013
COLDGEAR® INFRARED
As part of Under Armour’s relentless pursuit of innovation they introduced their best insulation system yet with ColdGear® Infrared. A soft, thermo-conductive lining absorbs and retains body heat, so athletes stay warmer for longer… with no extra weight or bulk. Impressive!
2014
SPEED FORM APOLLO
Under Armour is an officially recognised footwear brand and the introduction of the Speedform Apollo confirms it. It was the first running shoe ever made in an apparel factory and was designed for speed with zero distractions. As the tagline said, “This is what fast feels like.”
2015
DIGITAL REVOLUTION AND CONNECTED FITNESS
Through the acquisitions of fitness app companies MapMyRun, Endomondo, and MyFitnessPal, Under Armour built the world’s largest digital fitness and wellness community. The brand that changed how athletes dress now changes how they live and train.
2016
CONNECTED FOOTWEAR
Under Armour introduced its first smart shoe, the UA SpeedForm® Gemini 2 Record Equipped. It’s built-in Record Sensor™ technology tracks and stores data including time and date, duration, distance, and splits while providing an untethered running experience that allows athletes to run device-free.
2017
ATHLETE RECOVERY SLEEPWEAR
Inspired by Tom Brady’s training routine, Under Armour created an advanced sleep system that uses the body’s energy to power recovery. The key is the soft bio-ceramic print on the inside of the fabric that absorbs natural heat and reflects Far Infrared energy back into the skin to help the body restore muscle, recover faster, and promote better sleep. Rest. Win. Repeat.
2018
UA HOVR LIFTS YOU UP
This new pinnacle cushioning system for Under Armour footwear is not only soft enough to absorb impact, but it also returns energy and pushes you back up so it feels like you’re experiencing zero gravity. Under Armour, 1. Gravity, 0.
GIVING BACK
- Under Armour is making a positive impact in the lives of young people with their Building Bridges through Basketball program in partnership with the NBA and Rise to Win.
- Under Armour employees have helped distribute over 200 thousand meals to the homeless.
- Under Armour outfitted the 300 athletes competing in the 2019 DoD Warrior Games.
MAKING MOVES
- Under Armour currently sponsors top industry gamechangers across sporting disciplines like Stephen Curry, Tom Brady, Cam Newton, Jordan Spieth, Michael Phelps, Lindsey Vonn, Clayton Kershaw and Bryce Harper to name a few. Overtime strategic relationships have help grow Under Armour into the reputable brand it is today.
- Under Armour partnered up with Dwayne “The Rock’ Johnson to create a line of Project Rock 1 sneakers released in May 2018 which sold out in less than 24 hours. Johnson’s endorsement deal with Under Armour is ranked as the best-matched celebrity-brand partnership in the fashion and retail sectors by spotted.us.
DID YOU KNOW?
- In 1996 Under Armour founder Kevin Plank is believed to have been the first person to mass market moisture-wicking fabric technology.
- Under Armour is a truly international brand with over 20 offices situated across the world it employs and estimated 13,9 thousand employees with staff speaking over 40 different languages.
Follow Under Armour’s journey on Instagram @underarmour for all their latest updates and news !