• by Sarah Mahoney , over 1 hour ago

Under Armour has named actor François Arnaud -- best known for his role as Scott Hunter in "Heated Rivalry" -- as a global brand ambassador, headlining a campaign for the HeatGear franchise. Themed “For When It’s Hot,” and timed to launch in what the company calls historically North America's hottest week of the year,  the new work comes as Under Armour looks to add pop-culture wattage to its stable of performance athletes.

The partnership builds on Under Armour's growing interest in entertainment and culture alongside sport. The company also recently added multiplatinum country star Parker McCollum and Grammy-nominated rapper Gunna as ambassadors. With Under Armour in the midst of a massive restructuring plan aimed at stemming years of underperformance, the pop-culture pivot adds new texture to a roster that's traditionally leaned on elite athletes.

"Heated Rivalry," renewed for a second season, sparked a cultural sensation with its steamy sex scenes involving two professional hockey players, earning plenty of praise from LGBTQ viewers for its depiction of queer romance, and plenty of devotion from women who couldn’t get enough of the hunky stars. In Canada, it's the most-watched original series ever on Bell Media's Crave streamer; in the U.S., it's among the top-rated series on HBO Max.

"What drew us to François was more than his obvious talent and looks, it was what he represents," said Matt Dornic, Under Armour's chief communications officer, in the announcement. "The character he portrays ultimately finds his greatest success when he stops trying to fit someone else's mold and embraces who he truly is. That's a lesson that resonates deeply with us. The best athletes perform with confidence, conviction and authenticity, and we believe the strongest brands do too. As Under Armour continues to evolve, we're focused on being unmistakably ourselves."

So far, though, that evolution is stumbling. For the first quarter of its fiscal year, Under Armour reported revenue down 3% to $1.1 billion, including a 9% fall in North America sales, to $610 million.

The company has also cut its full-year forecast. Instead of a slight decline, it now expects sales to fall in the mid-single digits.

Under Armour, which has taken aggressive steps to clear old inventory, attributed the softness to weaker demand in both North America and Asia Pacific — typically one of its stronger international markets. Those pressures have also weighed on Nike. But rivals including Adidas, On and Hoka are selling briskly.

GlobalData Retail sees the results as evidence of eroding brand love. "Consumer affinity for — and interest in — the brand is still waning," Neil Saunders, GlobalData's managing director, wrote in a note, pointing to ongoing market share loss. "Consideration and purchase of Under Armour for the important back-to-school occasion has dropped again in the U.S. this year" — a signal that the brand isn't connecting with young buyers, he said.