NEW YORK, July 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Under
Armour (NYSE: UA, UAA) launches Unlike Any, its newest global
marketing campaign. Through collaboration with spoken word artists,
the campaign celebrates and honors the unprecedented achievements
of female athletes that rise above gender comparisons and stand on
their own as marvels of athletic prowess. To accomplish this,
Unlike Any shines a light on the remarkable talents of six Under
Armour athletes including American Ballet Theatre® principal
ballerina Misty Copeland, long
distance runner and Harlem Run Crew founder Alison Désir, world
champion sprinter Natasha Hastings,
and two of the brand's newest athletes; professional stuntwoman
Jessie Graff, and Chinese taekwondo
champion and actress Zoe Zhang
(Lanxin Zhang). Additionally, world champion alpine skier
Lindsey Vonn's Unlike Any film will
premiere in Fall 2017.
"I believe in the power of inner strength and how it can push
you to accomplish the seemingly impossible. This campaign is a
celebration of the inner strength that lives in every single
person. It's a reminder for every woman out there who feels
less than because of unnecessary comparisons, that they are strong,
unique and truly Unlike Any," said Copeland.
Created in partnership with creative agency Droga5, the suite of
campaign films were directed by Georgia
Hudson of Agile Films. To portray these women as Unlike Any,
she captured 360-degree rotations of their athleticism from every
angle, paying homage to the movements that have driven their
incredible achievements. Each story of WILL takes form in a set of
tributes – poetry crafted specifically for each athlete at
the peak of their performance – from spoken word artists who were
inspired to craft a lyrical work in honor of each athlete's story
and transcendent ability. Hastings' explosive sprints, Graff's
gravity-defying aerial cartwheel, Désir's unwavering endurance,
Zhang's rapid-fire high kick and Copeland's awe-inspiring pointe
technique are all captured to exemplify how each individual is
truly Unlike Any.
The artists who created the spoken word poetry for this campaign
are:
- Saul Williams - an
American rapper, singer-songwriter, actor and poet known for his
distinct fusion of poetry and alternative hip hop. The New York native—and longstanding patron of
ballet—brought innate insight to Misty
Copeland's story, highlighting the systemic social
structures she overcame to become the first African American
principal ballerina and, in the process, shape the future of ballet
itself.
- Aja Monet - an American
contemporary poet, writer and activist of Cuban-Jamaican descent.
Her work has been internationally recognized, and her most lauded
poem, "My Mother Was a Freedom Fighter," recently headlined at the
Women's March on Washington. As
someone who also uses her craft as a platform for social activism,
she was a worthy voice to bring Alison Désir's story to life.
- Kojey Radical - a London-based musician, rapper and spoken-word
poet. Widely recognized for his sharp, deft lyrics and energetic
performance style, his work possesses a rhythmic quality perfectly
suited to capture and elevate Jessie
Graff's acrobatic abilities.
- Dominique Christina - an
award-winning American poet, author and political activist. She
holds five National Poetry Slam Champion titles and is the only
contestant to have won two Women of the World Championship titles.
Her striking poem for Natasha
Hastings puts us inside of the accomplished sprinter's mind,
revealing an inner struggle and subsequent conquering of
self-doubt.
- Aristophanes 貍貓 - also known as Pan Wei Ju, a
bilingual Taiwanese rapper who was recently featured on a
collaboration with Grimes. She was uniquely suited to craft lyrics
that speak to the story of Chinese actress Zoe Zhang, who fought her way into the spotlight
with her unequaled taekwondo abilities.
"We've built the women's category at Under Armour on a
foundation of innovative products and storytelling that champions
her athletic performance. We will continue to break new ground with
our women's business by consistently recognizing the ways in which
women are re-defining the athletic experience and by creating great
product that meets her evolving needs," said Pam Catlett, SVP & General Manager of
Women's, Under Armour.
"Each of our athletes in this campaign have shattered
expectations and challenged the status quo on their respective
playing fields. For Unlike Any, we set out to celebrate and elevate
our athletes to where they belong – above gender roles, above
labels, and above convention," said Adrienne Lofton, SVP Global Brand Management,
Under Armour. "Our unique approach was to create these unexpected
films that honor our athletes with powerful poems from the hearts
and minds of some of the most thought-provoking artists in the
world. Our brand aims to inspire women everywhere to continue
making history in their own lives and this campaign is a reminder
that we stand for and with her."
To experience the full campaign and shop the Fall / Winter 2017
Women's collection, visit UA.com and download the UA Shop App on
iTunes and Google Play. Unlike Any is Under Armour's most expansive
campaign to date and will feature more than 200 pieces of content
that have been created for Under Armour's digital and social
platforms as well as for digital and media partners such as
Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, Snapchat, Refinery29, Well + Good and
Soundcloud. The campaign will be released and supported in a wide
range of global markets, particularly in the U.S., Europe and China, further cementing the company's
commitment to supporting athletes of all levels from all over the
world. Under Armour is hosting a pop up Unlike Any experience for
consumers at Chelsea Market in New York
City on Thursday, July 20 from 10 a.m. – 7
p.m.
To view the films, go to youtube.com/UnderArmour. To follow the
Unlike Any campaign story and to learn more about Under Armour
Women's, visit UA.com/UnlikeAny,
facebook.com/UnderArmourWomen and join the conversation on
Twitter @UAWomen and on Instagram @UnderArmourWomen, with
#UnlikeAny.
About Under Armour, Inc.
Under Armour, a leader of
performance footwear, apparel and equipment, revolutionized how
athletes across the world dress. Designed to make all athletes
better, the brand's innovative products are sold worldwide to
athletes at all levels. The Under Armour Connected Fitness™
platform powers the world's largest digital health and fitness
community through a suite of applications: UA Record, MapMyFitness,
Endomondo and MyFitnessPal. The Under Armour global headquarters is
in Baltimore, Maryland. For
further information, please visit the Company's website
at www.uabiz.com.
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SOURCE Under Armour, Inc.