Connected sports and Under Armour's positionning

Under Armour is a brand and a company developing a diversified offer of connected sports apparel.

In fact this company created in 1990 in the US has a very strong brand image. Its brand image is distinguished by it’s willing of giving the more efficient sports experience to its customer. The brand gives to the customer threw its slogan “I will” the feeling that even if you aren’t a regular sports person the products will help you reach your goal from amateurism to professional sport practices.

This training brand experience and image is consolidated threw their celebrity endorsement campaign but also with the multiple devices they launch. In fact for instance “Map My Run” is an application owned by the brand in order to permit a virtual training for its customers. This application can follow your performance in running, cycling and many other sports.

This use of the digital world to provide a personal training experience to its customer is something out braking in the sports industry and has a very interesting development potential. Under armour distinguishes its position in the sports industry by investing massively in sports linked to technology in order to serve its brand image and to be distinctive from brands as Nike, Adidas or puma. Originally the brand image was inspired with the first apparel created by the brand creator which was an anti-sweat t-shirt drying quickly in order to save it’s users from the uncomfortable after sports wet t-shirt. Since this product Under-armour focused its Research and development orientation to improve the customer’s sports experience. What it is trying to achieve in our days is to bring professional sports aspect and technical follow-up to amateurism sports practices. In fact Under Armour has launched very innovative connected apparel that confirms the brand aspirations. With map my run the brand is providing a performance follow-up to the user which is the basics of personal training. Under Armour is going further with its connected shoes.

In fact the shoes are connected to map my run in order to help you adapt you’re training practice to your physical possibilities. An electronic chip is incorporated in the running shoes, this chip will record your performance and the application will immediately match your physical situation to your training session in order to avoid injuries during the practice. Before the training session the application (personal trainer) will ask the user to do a series of movements in order to analyse the performance. For instance the application asks the user to process a series of small jump and calculates the time lap between the impulsion and the reception. This way and regarding the training follow-up the algorithm which collects the data sent by the chip to Map my run and adapt the training session.

This research and development policy that Under Armour chooses is a very impressive way to compete in the sports apparel industry and serves the brand image of not being only an apparel brand but a training brand that follows and adapts its products and service to any sports practices.

http://www.europe1.fr/emissions/l-innovation-du-jour/under-armour-les-chaussures-qui-remplacent-le-coach-sportif-2931155

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Under_Armour

http://www.uabiz.com/

http://www.mapmyrun.com