Watch Your Back, Swoosh

Under Armour is now heading into uncharted territories with its announcement of a sneaker line. The line of shoes ranging from cross-trainers to long-distance running, have been claimed to be a possible threat to Nike. Does anyone have any doubts? Obviously.

First of all, lets just compare UA's $607 million to Nike's cool $18 billion. So how does a company like Under Armour separate itself from the competition? Brand appeal. "Under Armour is identified with performance the way Starbucks is identified with better coffee, and that is a huge advantage in entering new categories," says independent marketing consultant Dennis Keene. While Nike caters to individual sports and sports fashion, UA wants to be known for performance and function rather than style.

Unlike brands such as Starter and Oakley who got caught up in poor advertising choices, UA sticks to mostly in-house marketing - saving them money while also allowing them to stay more grassroots in their campaigns. grassroots efforts to stay connected to teen athletes and its Super Bowl spot that introduced the cross-training shoes with the not-too-subtle hit at Nike: “The Future Is Ours.”

Is UA's in over it's head? Maybe. Do the benefits outweigh the risks? They sure seem to think so.



The first part of the ad features people working out in UA apparel and wearing one of the three versions of the new Prototype cross-trainer shoes. The settings, though, are cinematically shot warehouses and alleys, giving the ad a distinct video-game look even before the CGI effects come into play. Other athletes in the ad include the New York Giants' Brandon Jacobs, the San Francisco 49ers' Vernon Davis, and the Chicago Cubs' Alfonso Soriano.

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