In Pursuit of Innovation at Under Armour

Founder Kevin Plank Says Super Bowl Commercial Has Generated 'Buzz'

Kevin A. Plank, 35, is chairman and chief executive of Baltimore-based Under Armour, the sports apparel company. Plank got his inspiration for the company in 1995 while serving as captain of the special teams unit on the University of Maryland's football team. In a story that has become part of company lore, he grew tired of changing sweat-soaked cotton T-shirts during games and set out to create clothing that would be lighter and drier. Fast forward and Under Armour is a company that generated $606.6 million in revenue for 2007 and a profit of $52.6 million. The company is now big enough to have a Super Bowl commercial, which debuted to mixed reviews. Plank, a graduate of St. John's College High School in the District, is a member of the board of trustees of the University of Maryland College Park Foundation.

Here's an excerpt from staff writer Thomas Heath's interview with Plank.

Q Where is the sports apparel industry heading? What will be its key driver for growth in coming years?

A Innovation is the platform on which we work. For us, the key driver is to offer products that are better than what is currently in the market, best in class. We will continue to center our brand on the authentic performance category and work on our mission: to make all athletes better. How do we do that? Through passion, science and the relentless pursuit of new innovation.

What will be the next breakthrough development in sports apparel and equipment?

This is where our relentless pursuit comes in. Under Armour is continuously testing technology and scouting the athletic fields to determine what the next-generation athlete needs to become a better athlete.

Will Under Armour get into making protective equipment, such as helmets and shoulder pads? Tell us about your next hot product.

We'll continue to make strides to help athletes perform better. Each product is a chapter in the Under Armour story. The next product will build upon and enhance the next chapters in our story. We are the authentic performance brand for this generation and will never commoditize or dilute our brand. You will never see us slap a logo on something just to sell it. We've had offers from every corner of the business, but everything we do has to meet our performance criteria, authentic and true to our brand.

Do you wear Under Armour all the time?

Always. Cotton is the enemy.

Under Armour last year opened its first full-line retail store in Annapolis. What is the strategy?

We are always seeking to innovate, learn and interact with our customers. We are committed to the great partners that are proud to carry us in 1,200 stores across the world. The full-line retail store offers a brand-specific environment. Our consumers now have a destination experience that presents the brand in an exciting way. In the coming years, you'll see balanced growth of Under Armour retail stores in the direct sales channel. When a customer steps across the threshold, he or she is stepping into the Under Armour world that we've created in our commercials.

How much was the Super Bowl commercial, and was it worth it?

The Super Bowl was a great anchor point in a year-long brand campaign. The strategy there was simple. What better venue to unveil the first Under Armour (non-cleated) shoe to the world than the highest rated football game in history? We stayed disciplined with our approach and didn't water down our creative for the broader audience, and we delivered our message. Under Armour is getting into footwear, and we're here to stay. And that last scene was inspired by the movie "The Warriors," but we meant what we said: "The future is ours." The commercial has generated incredible buzz for the brand and performance trainers. We're seeing Web traffic 50 times higher than our holiday peak average, and pre-orders for the trainers are pouring in.

Speaking of advertising, who thought up your "protect this house" campaign?

Our creative and marketing is done in house by the brand team. We have partners who help produce it, but you have to live and breathe Under Armour every day to make it work. That particular commercial was written and drawn up in my apartment Fourth of July weekend back in 2003 with Steve Battista, our vice president of brand, and Marcus Stephens, our creative director. It was the day before we started rolling film. The commercial launched our brand in a big way, and "protect this house" became our brand's rallying cry. I guess our team thrives under pressure.