Gen-Z Opps: Under Armour reveals new strategy details (Score 72)

Sales lead: Get in touch if you can help UA appeal to Gen-Z athletes. 

• Under Armour (UA) is revising its marketing strategy as it focuses on reaching 18-24-year-old varsity athletes. 
• As part of this plan, the company launched UA Rewards, the company's first-ever loyalty program. 
• UA also plans on promoting its products more in its creative work.
• Plus, it will place a greater emphasis on influencer marketing by utilizing its brand ambassadors, such as Steph Curry, more. 

Target demographic: Gen-Z high school and college athletes

The company will likely:

• Continue moving ad dollars from national TV to digital channels
• Partner with additional influencers
• Seek agency partners that have had success reaching Gen-Zers

Broadcast insights (TV ad creative spend, effectiveness, impressions, and performance)

• YTD spend: UA spent nearly $9.6m on national TV ads YTD, a significant decline from $26.4m spent in this channel during the same time period of 2022. 
• 2021-2022 spend: Full-year spend dropped by 31% from $39.4m in 2021 to $27.2m in 2022. 
• Ad programming: It placed ads during programming such as College Basketball, Baloncesto NBA, Women's College Basketball, NFL Football, and The Final Four Show. 

Digital and social insights (digital ad spend, effectiveness, impressions, and performance)

• YTD spend: UA spent almost $32.2m on digital display ads YTD, a 17% increase from $27.6m spent in this channel during the same time period of 2022. 
• YTD data: 4.4b impressions via Instagram (51%), Facebook (26%), YouTube (13%), desktop display (5%), desktop video (4%), and mobile display (1%). 
• 2021-2022 spend: Full-year spend fell by 22% from $38.9m in 2021 to $30.4m in 2022. 
• Ad location: It placed 98% of these ads directly onto sites such as instagram.com, facebook.com, youtube.com, twitch.tv, and jcpenney.com. It placed 2% of these ads indirectly through Infolinks onto sites such as flickr.com, wikifeet.com, drudgereport.com, worldstar.com, and mugshots.com. 

Additional channel insights  

• Vivvix: UA also utilizes OOH, print, and local broadcast. 
• Top podcasts sponsored: Global News Podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, The Dan Patrick Show, and Motley Fool Money. 

Agency analysis:

• Opportunity: Reach out if you can help UA appeal to high school & college athletes. 
• Current roster: 
  • Zambezi: creative AOR 
  • Movement Strategy: social & experiential  AOR
  • Idea Ranch: PR
  • Digitas: media, digital, & social
  • Optimum Sports: media buying & planning
  • OMD: media buying & planning
  • 160over90: media buying & planning