preview

Kevin Plank's Under Armour

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document

SWOT Analysis: Under Armour
History:
• Founded in 1996 by former University of Maryland football player Kevin Plank.
• Originally started with a simple plan to make a t-shirt that provided compression and wicked perspiration off your skin instead of absorbing it.
• “Under Armour’s mission is to make all athletes better through passion, design and the relentless pursuit of innovation.”
• In 1999, Plank and his team signed on to supply product for the film Any Given Sunday. In the film, the football team wears Under Armour apparel and accessories in key scenes. Later, Plank bought his first print ad in ESPN the Magazine, and this risk ended up being a great decision as it generated awareness and resulted in a $750,000 increase in sales.
Strengths: …show more content…

• Have created partnerships with professional sports leagues like Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League, and the Baltimore Marathon.
• They offer a wide range of apparel, which appeals to a larger number of people.
• Positive responses from customers in their target markets.
Weaknesses:
• In early development, Under Armour shoes weren’t able to hold up after continual wear and tear and they were ripped apart. Many people lost respect for that area of the company and this has hurt them as that stigma still sticks with them even after further innovations.
• Under Armour has not yet completely extended into the world markets yet, so they will be able to increase their profits once they become a big force in those markets.
• Recently there was a feud between Kevin Plank and other stock holders over a proposed stock split that would guarantee he would stay in control of the company.
Opportunities:
• Like I mentioned in the last section, Under Armour hasn’t become a big force in foreign markets yet. Doing so is a huge opportunity to grow their brand and sales significantly.
• Under Armour needs to continue to innovate in order to remain competitive with other companies like Nike, Adidas, and

Get Access