Autumn 2018 saw the launch of Under Armour latest global marketing campaign, called ‘Will Makes Us Family’, which refocuses the spotlight on training through a video series.
Training has long been the key to Under Armour’s heritage and its DNA and while the word ‘training’ means something different to everyone, at its core is the idea that it lays the foundation for performance improvement regardless of the goal.
And it is this insight that sits are the campaign’s core.
The campaign is essentially Under Armour’s contemporary expression of training (and its own role as a company) in supporting training as a brand commitment to empowering athletes of all kinds to be the best version of themselves.
These ‘Will Makes Us Family’ films feature athletes from different sports – drawn both from the brand’s extensive sport ambassador stable and everyday amateurs – to explore and showcase their common unwavering will to chase their goals.
Amongst the star names fronting the campaign are NFL quarterback Cam Newton, principal ballerina Misty Copeland, champion skier Lindsey Vonn, world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua and major winning golfer Jordan Spieth.
The creative aims to offer viewers unfiltered, behind-the-scenes access into how these athletes train: enabling consumers to observe first-hand the effort and skill that goes into perfecting their sport.
This links to campaign messages around themes of inclusivity, family and tenacity, while creative also captures plenty of raw human emotion.
The campaign launched with a spearhead commercial which ran both on television
and across the usual digital and social channels.
Hard work transcends all obstacles. We are united through the grind. #WillMakesUsFamily pic.twitter.com/igP21iHdYb
— Under Armour (@UnderArmour) September 27, 2018
It was supported by additional films and content pieces across the brand’s real estate and pieces relating to specific contemporary events as they happened.
Answer the call. Two-time champion @MalcolmJenkins ambushed the Imhotep football team’s practice and surprised them with an unreleased colorway of the #UAForge96. Cop your pair on Friday, 9/28. #WillMakesUsFamily pic.twitter.com/PRAfUwRmYk
— Under Armour (@UnderArmour) September 26, 2018
The road to undisputed is not walked alone. @anthonyfjoshua is still of the ring. #WillMakesUsFamily pic.twitter.com/pVRszHDatS
— Under Armour (@UnderArmour) September 22, 2018
The campaign was created in harness with creative agency Droga5 and the films were directed by Jodeb (of PrettyBird).
The films, which are all set to Gene Allison’s track ‘You Can Make It If You Try’, close with the line “Hard work transcends all obstacles. We are united through the grind. #WillMakesUsFamily” and they aim to drive viewers online to the brand’s digital purchasing platform to check out the ‘Will Makes Us Family’ UA Training Collection here.
I’m still training like it’s my first. There’s a force inside me that pushes me. It makes me train every morning and counter every obstacle life throws at me. That force is pure will @UnderarmourUK #WillMakesUsFamily pic.twitter.com/qDtnNc84Ic
— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyfjoshua) September 27, 2018
Comment:
As the company seeks to rediscover some of its mojo and momentum, this anthemic, film-led campaign encompasses everyone around the world by showing athletes of all skill levels and body types – all united by a common denominator in the form of a ‘determined will’.
The objective is to unite us, to link us all together as a single family no matter who we are and where we are from through what we all share.
It follows on from Under Armour’s April training campaign fronted by endorser Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson (see case study).
The brand is simultaneously also becoming more child-friendly: as demonstrated by the parallel, kids jacket ‘Crush The Limits’ seasonal campaign which is led by a hero spot
supported by a series of longer child athlete ambassador videos.
Links:
Under Armour
https://twitter.com/UnderArmour
#WillFindsAWay
@UnderArmour
https://www.instagram.com/underarmour
https://www.youtube.com/user/underarmour
Droga5
