task

The brand of transformation now had its own transformation to make, and DOMO came onboard at the very outset of the project to co-create the next phase of Under Armour, authentically bringing them from product-led to purpose-led.

With the rapid and sweeping cultural change of the early 2020’s came the demand for brands to take a stand. For Under Armour this demand was an opportunity — a chance to refine what drives them and determine just who they would become in this new milieu where brands are held to a higher standard than ever before.

To realize this evolution, our goal was to create a durable brand grammar that would define the next decade for Under Armour. Our work would be first realized through an anthem film with a global launch and appearances at key sporting events including Super Bowl LVI, several targeted athlete spots, and yet would need to be grounded in a platform powerful enough to drive subsequent campaigns.

process

To allow your purpose to drive you, you need to teach it how. You need a crystal clear understanding of that purpose and the opportunities for change it presents. UA knew they wanted to make a change for kids who don’t easily have access to sport, but how would this new cause relate to the brand ethos? How would it relate to the UA audience? Here DOMO enters the chat. Using our understanding of the UA brand from decades of previous work, we gathered a team of multi-disciplinary creatives to combine strategy with storytelling to uncover the powerful thread to connect who UA is with who they would become.

Our new brand grammar was forged through an intimate knowledge of UA. Director and Executive Creative Director Andre Stringer set out to “integrate this new purpose with that powerful Under Armour secret sauce, the UA fire that our past work is known for.”

Our process began on the ground, with a deep investigation of real young athletes and the barriers they face to the game. Associate Creative Director Ginger Boyd explains, “We interviewed dozens of young athletes to understand the real issues that make it difficult for them to play sport and we let their experiences define our message.” What we found was a deep love of sport and appreciation for the transformative gift of the game. We added the alliteration, but the sentiment came straight from the athletes.

DOMO brought The Gift Of The Game from its initial strategy through to its first expression on TV, Social, and the UA website, from internal messaging designed to invite the entire Under Armour family into this new expression of the brand, as well as externally, injecting this new initiative into the collective consciousness, powerfully recasting Under Armour as an authentically purpose-driven company.

From ideation to casting to post, from messaging to music, DOMO designed a new way for Under Armour to express itself, connect with consumers and grow the brand. “Sport continues to be one of my foundational influences, and supporting the effort to bring that game-changing opportunity to millions of young athletes is profoundly meaningful to me.” says Stringer. The results speak for themselves, and they are only the first wave. This is a long-term initiative that will continue for years, offering access and opportunity to millions around the globe.