Content was always likely to be central to the crossover between sport and marketing and the latest Under Armour campaign launched worldwide yesterday is another prime example.
A full multimedia campaign highlights the work that players at the top of their game have to put in to get there.
Driven by the counter intuitive central theme of JOMO (the joy of missing out) and the tagline “It’s What You Do in the Dark That Puts You in the Light,” the campaign highlights the sacrifices these athletes make – and the elation they feel – when wholly dedicated to training for their sport.
The campaign debuts with two television spots and a series of social engagement programs that feature members of USA Gymnastics Women’s National Team and Netherlands football star Memphis Depay.
In March 2016, the campaign will culminate with a subsequent short film featuring world championship swimmer Michael Phelps. All three films highlight the 24/7 grind that each athlete pushes through in order to succeed when their moment in the spotlight comes.
It is within these moments – when athletes go dark, and step away from other aspects of their daily life to train single-mindedly in relentless pursuit of sporting greatness – that athletes experience, in the eyes of Under Armour, this JOMO.
The USA Gymnastics Women’s National Team will be one of the world’s most followed US teams at the Olympics.
The spot shows them building full-body strength and training on the mat, traveling to competitions, and putting in hours of constant, exhausting work, for a chance at glory.
“The newest chapter of our RULE YOURSELF campaign is the natural evolution of Under Armour’s training ethos,” said Adrienne Lofton, Senior Vice President, Global Brand Marketing, Under Armour.
“As a company built by athletes, we truly understand an athlete’s never-ending quest to reach greatness and we want to showcase and honor their sacrifices.”
“By providing this peek behind the curtain of our athlete’s lives, we hope to inspire young athletes all over the world to push beyond their perceived limitations in order to achieve their ultimate goals.”
“We truly believe it’s what athletes do in the dark, when no one is watching, that ultimately puts them in the spotlight they deserve.”
The brand will launch the global campaign with media partners including ESPN, NBC, ABC and MTV as well as on social media through YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and more.
In Ireland brand ambassadors Jordi Murphy and others are likely to be part of the campaign. The Under Armour Ireland twitter account has ‘gone dark’ for the launch removing all the usual imagery of product within the header.
Gymnastics Ireland will be the first sporting body to feature in a new series launching next month looking at the commercial world of sport in Ireland.
