Kevin Plank's Under Armour

Under Armour was founded in 1996 by Kevin Plank , a then 23-year old former special team’s captain of the University of Maryland football team. Plank initially began the business from his grandmother 's basement in Washington, D.C. As a fullback at the University of Maryland , Plank got tired of having to change out of the sweat-soaked T-shirts worn under his jersey; however, he noticed that his compression shorts worn during practice stayed dry. This inspired him to make a T-shirt using moisture-wicking synthetic fabric. After graduating from the University of Maryland , Plank developed his first prototype of the shirt, which he gave to his Maryland

Under Armour (UA) was founded by a then 23-year old football player from the University of Maryland in 1996 named Kevin Plank. Kevin started the company from his grandmother’s basement in Washington, D.C. As a player he became tired of having to change his undershirts which became quickly soaked with perspiration. A revelation he made was that his compression shorts worn during practice remained dry even with heavy sweating. This inspired him to make a t-shirt using moisture-wicking synthetic fabric. After graduating, Plank developed his first prototype of the shirt, which he gave to his Maryland teammates and friends who had gone on to play in the NFL. He soon perfected the design of the shirt which utilized microfibers that quickly wicked

In 1995 the then captain of the University of Maryland football team, Kevin Plank came up with a brilliant idea that will revolutionize the athletic apparel industry forever: microfiber T-shirts designed to wick moisture away from the skin. Almost two decades later, Under Armour is a multi billion-dollar athletic apparel market competing directly with industry giants Nike and Adidas.

Kevin Plank founded Under Armour in 1996 and was a football player at Maryland University. He was frustrated with the habit of changing his cotton shirt when in practice. As a result, he envisioned a shirt that would allow perspiration to dry quickly enabling athletes to be faster, stronger and quicker. When the apparel market performance grew, the company diversified its product offerings, developed diverse categories of performance gears, and ventured to footwear, women’s apparel, and other merchandise (Thompson, 2012).

Under Armour is a very popular and well-known brand throughout the world, there are many reasons why this is the case and why they are very successful as a company. Under Armour creates value for their customers in many ways, one of these ways is with their basketball shoes. Customers wouldn't want to buy shoes if they didn't think it would be durable and a good shoe. Customers can trust Under Armour’s basketball shoe because it is a shoe that somebody in the NBA wears. This shows that someone is willing to trust their million-dollar contract with their shoes to help them get their well-earned money, and that shows to confidence in Under Armour. Under Armour also gives many different options that the customer can choose from. They offer different technologies, materials, and articles of clothing. There are many different technologies they have, but I will only list a few. One of these technologies is cool switch, this helps athletes perform longer because the clothing will keep them cool and save them from sweating as much which helps save energy. Also, they offer many different materials in case a customer is allergic to a certain type of material there is always another so that they don't lose a customer. They also offer all different types of clothing so that whatever you need they'll have. Based on this research it proves that Under Armour has done so much to get where they are and be as successful as they are.

a. Under Armour’s approach towards innovation is very unique, they think and plan out their projects thoroughly in order to create a one of a kind product that could be appealing to their consumers. The company has been extremely progressive throughout the years in order to stay ahead of the other competitive companies in their targeted industry. By constantly updating and coming up with different product lines, such as compression shirts and cleats, Under Armour is able to compete with other top athletic wear company’s in their market. If

In today’s athletic market world, being the number one is what many athletes strive for—that is what sets the standards for many sport clothing companies, to deliver products that allow athletes increase their performance while striving to take the number “one” spot. Under Armour works to deliver products that do that and more. Under Armour is currently one of the leading companies in the sports apparel industry whose mission is to “Make all athletes better through passion, design, and the relentless pursuit of innovation” (Under Armour, Inc). Baltimore, Maryland-based Under Armour, founded in 1996 by ex-football player Kevin Plank, who transformed the sports apparel industry by creating apparel that used synthetic materials as an alternative to natural fibers, such as cotton, or other materials, such as polyester. Plank’s mission was to develop a shirt using synthetic materials that handled perspiration most efficiently than was previously expected. Under Armour’s ability to target their products to a wide range of potential clients has enhanced their ability to continue to grow within the athletic marketplace. Under Armour, it is classified as a high-end fitness clothing supplier that appeals to a diverse income audience. This audience has been reached by the outstanding advertising strategies and that include men, women and children. Under Armour currently uses a mixture of pull marketing and different campaigns for its diverse product lines. The overall goal for Under

The rapid success of Under Armour is not a mistake. The company dominates the performance apparel category. According to Founder Kevin Plank, “The mission of Under Armour is to make technically advanced products that are engineered with superior fabric construction, to provide proven innovation available to the masses-aimed at making athletes perform better” (UnderArmour.com). Under Armour uses many marketing initiatives including athlete endorsement, product placement, and popular culture which illustrates the success of Under Armour.

Under Armor is an American sports clothing, footwear and accessories company headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. Under Armor owes its beginnings to an idea formed on a football field in 1996. Moreover, founder Kevin Plank, who was team captain at the University of Maryland, imagined a concept to keep athletes light, dry and cool in hot conditions. This idea led Kevin to the development of a new synthetic fabric he designed called HeatGear. HeatGear apparel would be tight fitting and be designed to pull moisture away from the skin regulating athletes’ body temperatures while supporting their muscles.

Under Armour is currently one of the leading companies in the sports apparel industry whose mission is to “Make all athletes better through passion, science, and the relentless pursuit of innovation”.1 When Under Armour first broke into the sports apparel industry it was a disruptive pioneer that initially made the two giants, Nike and Adidas, a little weary. Under Armour revolutionized the sports apparel industry by creating apparel that used synthetic materials as an alternative to natural fibers, such as cotton, or other materials, such as polyester. This all-important switch to these materials resulted in a 2“shirt that provided compression and wicked perspiration off your skin rather than absorb it. A

Under Armour is a sports apparel company founded in 1996 by Kevin Plank, a former football player in University of Maryland. The company specializes in sports clothing that compresses and wicks perspiration off the wearer’s skin rather than absorb it. The company uses a mechanistic organizational structure which involves a clear, well-defined, and vertical hierarchies of control. Under Armour’s organization structure is centralized and follows a vertical hierarchy of control and authority.

Kevin Plank’s first big break came from a product sale to Georgia Tech for $17,000. Shortly thereafter two dozen NFL football teams followed in pursuit of his products. By the end of his second year, Kevin Plank had sold over $100,000 worth of product. Under Armour’s popularity took off after this and major teams and retailers began carrying their product. This surge in revenue turned Under Armour into a multi-million dollar business that has over 5,900 employees (Under Armour Startup Story, 2014).

To understand the significance of Under Armour’s recent success, a brief history of the company is needed. It was founded in 1996 by Kevin Plank, a former football player from the University of Maryland. Under Armour’s original product was a shirt designed with synthetic fibers and wicking material to keep athletes cool and dry, even in the hottest weather. As the success of his t-shirts grew, Plank continued to innovate and developed many new products. Currently, Under Armour sells shoes, shirts, socks, backpacks, headbands, sports equipment, shorts and much more. It has traditionally played second-string to Nike, but with Curry’s support, Under Armour has surpassed its biggest competitor. Today, Under Armour is a very profitable company, specializing in sports apparel.

What is Under Armour’s business-level strategy? Is the strategy appropriate to offset the forces in the industry? Do you recommend any changes and/or foresee any challenges?

Under Armour’s business strategy towards market segmentation is broken down into three different basis; Age, Gender, Uses. The first major market segmentation is by age, different age groups demand different products and Under Armour has produced certain merchandise to appeal to each generation. The second is Gender, both male and female respectively make up roughly 50% of the market equally.To appeal to females UA produces apparel in brighter colo, as a fashion forward athletic wear. While for males they they cater toward masculine vibe of tight fitting and resistant to wear and tear. Lastly, UA segments by the range of uses for their products.