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Under Armour looks forward with new multichannel campaign for the Curry 3

Booming athletic wear company Under Armour is looking to social and digital avenues to try and convince consumers of a new chapter in the brand?s history.

The new Make That Old campaign, which is in promotion of its new Curry 3 shoe, leads off with a mobile-optimized video in addition to other digital components including a social push. The campaign?s narrative focuses on the concept of redemption, primarily for the shoe?s namesake Stephen Curry, who lost the NBA Finals earlier this year, but it may also be a thinly veiled jab at the brand?s main competitor in the market, the dominant Jordan brand.

Make That Old
The campaign?s centerpiece is the mobile-optimized promotional video, which is hosted on YouTube. 

The spot, shot by acclaimed director Harmony Korine in California?s Bay Area, begins with a dramatization of moments in Mr. Curry?s career in which he was doubted for his ability to succeed at the professional level, culminating in a recount of his loss in the NBA Finals despite being the league?s unanimous MVP and his Warriors posting a record 73-9 regular season record. 

The video features the new Curry 3 shoe front-and-center, which debuted on October 21. The shoe has been available on Under Armour?s mobile-optimized Web site and through Under Armour?s UA Shop App beginning on October 25.

The video features a number of young basketball players

Make That Old will also have a suite of digital offerings, with a promotional Snapchat element and a full social push announced for the campaign as well. Under Armour?s basketball division, @UABasketball, will be posting campaign updates to Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. 

Call to arms
The video?s redemptive qualities are at the heart of the campaign?s ethos, and are indicative of Under Armour?s? a company that has entertained surgent success in the past two years? overall brand strategy. Under Armour has established itself one of the main players in the athletic wear sector on the back of redemption-centric campaigns such as Make That Old.

A screenshot from the promotional spot

The choice to feature Mr. Curry? who already has a ring? in a video predicated on the concept of redemption is a somewhat strange perspective to take, but the campaign may refer to more than just his successes and failures on the court. 

Under Armour has been clear about wanting to take market share away from Nike?s lifestyle behemoth Jordan brand, with the former having no qualms about positioning itself directly facing the latter in terms of target demographic, product and? if the Make That Old spot is any evidence? ad strategy. Under Armour has even gone so far as to counter this past year?s knockout Supreme and Jordan collaboration with a high-end athleisure line of its own called Under Armour Sportswear, which debuted at New York Fashion Week.

The theme of redemption could also be a subtle reference to the almost-universal derision of one of the line?s previous offerings, the Curry 2 Low Chef, which set social media ablaze in parody.

The Make That Old campaign is merely the latest in a series of moves within the mobile space that have helped the brand achieve its recent success. Earlier this year, it leveraged IBM Watson?s cognitive computing technology to bolster its UA Record mobile health application with a slew of features, including evidence-based sleep coaching and data-backed fitness tips (see story).

And it attempted to create an emotional bond with consumers through a heartfelt mobile video campaign that emphasizes the passion it takes to be a runner paired with a social media contest in which participants prove their love of running (see story).

Under Armour may be using Stephen Curry?s recent postseason struggles as a mouthpiece for its own narrative, one where the company would like to leave any perceptions of its being a fledgling brand in the past. Now, Under Armour is hoping consumers will join it in taking a step forward into competition with Jordan brand, hopefully with a pair of Curry 3?s on their feet.