Under Armour launches Steph "Curry Brand," shooting for Nike-Jordan hype
Steph Curry with the shot... Under Armour's been cooking with the sauce. The sports apparel company is trying to take its lackluster 2020 from 0 to 100 real quick... with a major celeb partnership.
- Curry Brand: UA's new line with NBA legend Steph Curry. Expect men's shoes and clothes for sports from basketball to golf — and women's apparel eventually, too.
- Jordan Brand: What UA's going for. Nike's Jordan brand notched record sales last quarter, and its AF1 is the most-purchased shoe of 2020 (your Insta feed knows).
Spice Up This House... UA thinks Curry could do that. It's been laser-focused on "technical performance apparel" (aka: the opposite of athleisure). UA reminds you of the sweat-wicking jersey you wore in track — not the comfy leggings you WFH in. UA's hoping this buzzy new brand will curry favor with Gen Z.
- Nike = #1 favorite apparel brand among teens for the past 10 years, according to Piper Sandler. Its stock is up 31% this year on the work(out)-from-home life. Lulu's up 59%.
- UA = #1 "no longer worn" brand among male teens (way harsh, Tai). Its stock is down 24% this year because professional sports were cancelled (along with your track meet).
Consumers want a happy medium... between function and fashion. UA's brand is too intense/intimidating to be worn for your grocery speed walk. UA needs to soften its look to gain mass appeal, but it doesn't have to give up its high-quality performance bar to do that. It's a matter of style and marketing. Curry Brand could be the perfect way to go mainstream.