• by Karl Greenberg , September 5, 2012

Under Armour is launching its largest-ever campaign directed at women, including its first female-specific TV ads. The effort, “No Matter What, Sweat Every Day. I WILL,” includes online video spots at the brand's YouTube channel that show athletes doing studio, training and running activities. 

The campaign includes a social-media competition also accessible through a mobile app. The competition, at the online community whatsbeautiful.ua.com, lets women document and upload daily workouts by posting videos, photos and diary entries. Under Armour will give the women whose stories are the most inspiring an all-expenses-paid training excursion with coaches, trainers, nutritionists and athletes. 

The company says digital elements also include a dedicated landing page at UA.com, plus online ads on Hulu.com, MTV.com, and FitSugar.com, with television versions on ad pods at Bravo, E!, VH1 and Nickelodeon. Under Armour says it will support the campaign across Under Armour Women’s social media channels, including Facebook, and Twitter at @UAWomen with #IWILL and #WhatsBeautiful. 

Adrienne Lofton Shaw, senior director of women’s marketing at Under Armour, tells Marketing Daily that the campaign is the culmination of a larger effort begun over a year ago to build relevance among athletic women via a digital program and spokesperson relationships with the likes of Olympic downhill skier Lindsey Vonn. “We have developed this strategy over the past 24 months to begin that conversation with the female consumer, and not just with a traditional advertising push; we wanted to build a unique and authentic relationship.” 

The campaign supports Under Armour’s new StudioLux Noir black-on-black collection along with other studio, training and running products. StudioLux Noir includes leggings, jacket and tank, all of which will be available on UA.com, as well as in participating retail stores beginning in October. 

Lofton Shaw says the company began the effort with a targeted digital-only effort last year that included a Facebook program, along with grassroots strategy to sponsor teen and amateur sports programs. “Our goal is to have a 360-degree surround to experience the brand multiple times.” Women’s gear, representing 30% of UA’s product portfolio, is the fastest-growing category in the company’s business, both in the U.S. and abroad, per Lofton Shaw, who adds that unaided and aided awareness and perception of UA’s women’s products have risen sharply since the program launched. 

Also on tap is a series of cross-promotional “UA Sweat” events in major markets via programs with retailers like Lady Foot Locker, The Sports Authority, and with ESPN-W Fitness Retreat. “The insight is that the best part of the day is working out -- recharging. We wanted to bring that to life,” says Lofton Shaw, who adds that the UA consumer is “intense but driven, goal oriented, and believes in hard work. She is always trying to get better, sets the bar high, and goes for that goal. You won’t see ‘casual’ from us.” 

Thus, the company is also sponsoring influencer events at performance-workout companies like New York-based spinning studio Flywheel Sports and bi-coastal Barry’s Bootcamp. “Flywheel is a very influential competition-based studio; we like the way they think,” she says, adding that both Flywheel and Barry’s Bootcamp are co-gender. “We don't have to target just women’s spaces,” says Lofton Shaw. “Women want us to talk to them when they are with guys and when they are not.”