Under Armour Crisis

The objective of this case is to understand the importance of crisis management. This case is intended to make the reader consider not only financial implications at the time of the event but the effects on the long term strategies of the organization. Also, the case urges participants to think about the consequences not only on the customer but on those within the organization as well.

An event such as the Olympic Games is an opportunity for manufacturers such as Under Armour to sponsor the national team from where the company is founded. In this case, Under Armour got the contract of developing the suits for the U.S. National Speed Skating Team. While companies such as Adidas could potentially provide the suits, Under Armour has the advantage of being an American company. While Nike is a direct competitor, speed skating is not something is commonly attracted to masses other than when the Olympic Games are underway and this was an opportunity Under Armour took.

After the crisis emerged, the company needs to establish a crisis communication team first. The team must consist of directors from various departments and high-level executives, especially CEO and crisis management experts. In this team, it is crucial to have a leader who could mobilize resources, make a decision and be responsible for all decisions. Everyone in the team is responsible for a unique issue.

When you are in a crisis situation you should reach out to your stakeholders. Stakeholders should be informed of the situation. It is very important you keep the communication line open between you and your stakeholders. They want assurance that you have this issue under control. Leaders will ensure the stakeholders they are going

Under Armour is a women outfit athletic brand. Last year, they launched the “I will what I want” campaign, first with super model Gisele Bündchen and afterwards with other powerful women such as American Ballet first ballerina, Misty Copland. The main goal of this campaign was to demonstrate that through determination and willpower, anyone can break through boundaries. It is a “call to action” of a cultural attitude at Under Armour of we can be a little better, we can push a little harder, and a great example of how brands use visuals to tell their story The strength of this campaign remains on its creativity. But first, lets analyze the some technical aspects of this particular picture. The photo is beautiful in several aspects. First, the

For many years now, every major company utilizes the likeness of professional athletes and Hollywood stars to push their products on consumers. One of these companies that are relatively young is Under Armour. “In 1996, Kevin Plank, a 23-year-old former University of Maryland special teams captain, turned an idea born on the football field into a new industry that changed the way athletes dress forever” (1996-1998, n.d., p.1). This young company, Under Armour, is currently utilizing the likeness of such stars as Stephen Curry, The Rock, and Jordan Spieth to market their product to new customers. Are there other more effective methods that companies such as Under Armour can utilize to pull customers away from the likes of Nike or Adidas? Are these mega-sponsorship deals worth the cost for these companies?

Despite multiple potential points of contention within the plan itself, Under Armor should attempt to build the new complex at Port Covington. With steady growth and revenue generation, now is the perfect chance to rise up and truly compete with Nike for the number one sports apparel brand. The creation of this facility is the personification of that effort. This is a huge investment on the part of Under Armor, and should not be taken lightly, but it will pay dividends for Under Armor and Baltimore at large.

Over the years, the media – including print, online, and broadcast – has bombarded the public with apologies made by public companies that have stumbled upon unforeseen crisis situations. As Hearit (2006) mentioned, whether it be a product that is defective and causes egregious harm to people, an illegal scheme concocted by employees of an organization, or an accident that results in the loss of life, organizations are more often than not the victims of their own misdeeds (p.2). For instance, between 2009-2010 Toyota experienced crisis where by acceleration and brake problems led to more than 8.5 million auto recalls (Liker, 2011). Just three years later, General Motors made headlines – like The New York Times – after experiencing a similar

How a sport marketer creates the image of superiority is the big question. How can you reinvent the same shoe year after year and continue to sell millions based off the new perceived differences? The right answer should be you can’t but when you know how to market a good you can. A key marketing strategy used in this field is the use of new features that enhance the quality of a product. These enhancements can range from a new sweat wicking material in a t-shirt or an added liner to a pair of shorts. The changes may be slim and not noticeable by the naked eye but when described using complex terms and graphics a minor change can become a monumental one to a consumer. An example can be found on any sports apparel site; here is an example from

The company Under Armour launched a campaign in 2014 with the tagline “I Will What I Want.” The campaign features athletes and a model that all defy what society believes in them. I Will What I Want has print adverts and then also TV spots that are only about 60 seconds. They launched the campaign with Misty Copeland who is a principal ballerina for the American Ballet Theatre. The other women in the beginning of the campaign are Gisele Bundchen and Lindsey Vonn. Drogs5, an advertising company, developed the campaign to show fierce females tune out society’s standards and achieve their dreams. (Droga5)

Under Armour is a leading athletic clothing line directed towards the overall athlete who is looking for the most comfort during extracurricular activities. The mission of the company is, "to provide the world with technically advanced products engineered with exclusive fabric construction, supreme moisture management, and proven innovation. In short, every Under Armour product is doing something for you; it's making you better."

Under Armour diving head first into the relatively new world of extreme sports will allow them to be one of the first large athletic apparel companies to get involved with such a new and ever growing industry. There is a significant need for Under Armours’ technology and experience. Under Armour is one of the top sellers in sports apparel and also has brand recognition outside of the extreme sports arena. Not only is Under Armour already a household name, but it will not have to compete with sports apparel companies similar to its own. Under Armour can collaborate with sponsors like, Red Bull, Go Pro, Volcom, Skull Candy and, one of the smaller apparel companies that have less market control. Under Armour will be able to join forces with these

Responding to crises is an important part of organizational behavior today, especially because of the effects that have been seen in the previous crises involving prominent organizations such as BP and the Sandusky case. Ensuring that the company has some sort of backup plan when the company goes into the limelight on issues, is an important part of making sure that the stakeholders can be forgiving and go past the crises without much loss to the company. This paper is a case study of the crisis involving Smithville Industrial Chemical plant and the mistakes that they made in the course of the media coverage of the spill on White River.

Under Armour has infused their products and their brand image in various visual media forms, including over a dozen popular television shows and numerous motion pictures (Shank, 2009). The look and appeal of Under Armour was ideal as it was the combination of the intense, hard core athletic gear that could help with performance coupled with a hip, fresh look that would be able to appeal to consumers. To differentiate its product line from its competitors Under Armour leveraged its sophisticated design software, new manufacturing techniques, the latest in material engineering, and robust information technology systems to produce virtually everything it makes (Shank, 2009). The utilization of the marketing technique of product placement in television, movies, and video games has allowed Under Armour to promote the benefits of its product line to a larger audience (Shank, 2009). In 1998, Warner Brothers studio was

Under Armour, Inc. is an American sports clothing and Accessories Company. The company is a supplier of sportswear and casual apparel. Under Armour began offering footwear in 2006.