Under Armour: A Case Study Of The Use Of Personas

Executive Summary

We know Mike – let’s embrace Michelle!  With the rise of sportswear being fashionable, the uptake in the economy and Under Armour’s increasing contracts with Universities has given birth to a wide base of both male and female brand users that have been, as so far, largely ignored by the marketing strategy of the company and should be used to leverage the brand into a higher profile in a more diverse audience base. 

By adapting personas into a broad marketing strategy that better represents the ACTUAL brand audience UA has: UA can better shape, adapt and plan its marketing strategy to better fit the new users and drive sales.  By updating and adapting who we perceive and know our audience to be UA can better reach out to these consumers and create brand evangelists that will define the band moving forward. 

I think the most convincing argument for the use of personas in that when designing personas one is required to think outside of themselves and obtain an understanding of who is going to be interacting with the persona.  It is through this process that people can gain a psychological makeup, if you may, of who their audience is and how likely they are to interact with the personas and thus the brand.  In doing so UA can discover how better to devise a marketing strategy to fit the needs and wants of its growing user base. 

Research is king and a very revealing experience, upon conducting my research I found that Under Armour’s audience is more women that male, and is most likely to be in school or associated with college sports. 

Keyword searches show that people who search the brand frequently use the keyword “new,” in conjunction with their search more often than any other keyword (KewordSpy, n.d.).  This shows me that my initial conclusions about UA buyers wanting what “new,” or trendy was accurate.  

Also, the second most used keyword in conjunction with the brand show that colleges and universities and their branded sports equipment is very highly searched.  It seems there is a very large niche market that is specific to collegiate sports – a sector known for having young people with disposable incomes, and one that is statistically female.  My initial research put the average age group as 18-25 – so it seems that is very accurate to the age of college students, so this was correct.  

In addition to that I found that while I had initially presumes that the main audience was male, careful analysis of .com traffic and search words indicate that UA’s audience is actually more followed by women and adjusting or adding a persona that is female would be highly advantageous. In addition, when looking at what is being said about the product – what stands out is that the primary words being used to describe the product have to do with its performance as tested or endorsed by pro athletes, lay people on blogs talking about the products look, and women who wear stretch pants (which are very trendy a la Lululemon). 

The value of this process is to further endear current users to the brand by showing how UA is an adaptive, innovative brand responsive to the needs of its consumers, secondly this process and my suggestions will increase the amount of user generated content by which we can receive feedback about the products, further adapt our personas and strategy and gather metrics on the audience to compliment the user generated content. 

The overall strategy for to help UA adapt to its growing audience base is to create a universe of online content across multiple social media channels that has two purposes: to redefine the UA mission to incorporate the information we receive in the process of creating these personas and to provide an increased online platform for user generated content. 

This strategy embraces the trend away from TV advertising and toward online content creation and advertising. The average social media ad spend is expected to quadruple by 2015, contrasting with an expected 2.5% growth for TV ad spend in 2011. Nike has done this successfully by targeting specific audience segments, separated by sport, to drive user generated content, (Fisher, 2011).   But what I am proposing is to segment our brands marketing focus onto people as portrayed by our personas, Mike and Michelle, and direct our messaging directly to them in an effort to appeal more sincerely. 

Within a year the goal is to create an online universe that better reflects UA’s target audience, and based on our analytical research.  At the end of that year we expect to see better engagement in our social media platforms and user generated content channels.  We plan on measuring the success of the campaign by measuring the shift in keyword density on those platforms towards the target audience and what they are talking about. In addition we plan on using Google analytics and other web tools to analyze the online audience to make sure we are attracting the correct audience and gather more data on their behavior to identify more avenues for engaging our target audience.

In addition to creating an online universe more reflective of the UA audience and to promote further audience engagement I am proposing that we offer the ability of our users to submit designs, both utility and artistically as well as sell personalized clothes that incorporates personal slogans, ideas, issues and causes. 

Situation Overview:

Under Amour (UA) was built by athletes to give other athletes an edge when it comes to performance sportswear.  Because of our gender-centric society and the popularity of male professional sports the brand has traditionally been marketed and accepted by males.  However, with the rise of sportswear being fashionable, the uptake in the economy and Under Armour’s contracts with Universities has given birth to a wide base of female brand users that have been as so far been largely ignored by the marketing strategy of the company.

Further, men who use the product more these days are concerned more with looking good while working out as much as they are concerned with product quality, which is a paradigm shift away from the core brand mission of “Under Armour’s mission is to make all athletes better through passion, design and the relentless pursuit of innovation. – their idea of their beliefs, values and goals ("Under Armour Sports Clothing, Athletic Shoes & Accessories", 2015).

From the consumer end, Under Amour appeals to those who want “gear engineered to keep athletes cool, dry and light throughout the course of a game, practice or workout ("Under Armour Sports Clothing, Athletic Shoes & Accessories", 2015). What the website fails to and what our personas Mike will demonstrate – is that there is more to buying Under Armour than its ability to wick away moisture, people also think it’s cool, trendy, and mention and what our personas Mike will demonstrate – is that there is more to buying Under Armour than its ability to wick away moisture, people also think it’s cool, trendy, and fashionable. 

UA’s core audience is made up of three main groups – one is the athlete that wears the product to try to get an edge, the second is the athletic lay-person who uses the product to get an edge – and to look good while working out.  The third is the female US users that are more concerned with identifying with a trendy brand and its related causes.  For the purposes of this proposal we will be focusing on personas 2 and 3 as personas 1 is well represented by UA’s marketing strategy, and is already brand loyal. 

Based on web and online research we have been able to determine that there exists a need to deliver a platform for user generated and company mediated content.  Research has also shown that there is a disconnect between the perception the brand is geared towards men and has a mostly male audience base.  Careful analysis of what is being said online about the brand shows the opposite to be true (See appendix).

Rise in sportswear as fashion especially in the fashion and workout industries has changes the landscape of who buys the UA brand.  Initially the brand was sold at a high price point because it provided users with an edge during physical activity. But with the uptake in the economy millennials with disposable income are now willing to pay for UA products because they are trendy and perceived as exclusive.  The reality is that people still love well-made clothing, but, ideally, clothing they can actually live in, (Schiffer, 2015).

                The main idea that drives the need to adapt a persona into the UA marketing strategy is so that we can step outside of ourselves and see what our consumers see. It is through this process that people can gain a psychological makeup, if you may, of who their audience is and how likely they are to interact with the personas.  Jacobson et al agree with Mulder saying that “the main advantage of working with personas is putting one’s self in someone else’s shoes, (Jacob et al, 2008, P.3) 

Based on the research we have discovered – enter data from making mike and Michelle data sheets..

                The underlying strategy is to raise the level of audience engagement by appealing to our consumer’s core needs and desires. As Gambetti alludes to, it is the person’s mental and emotional feelings about the product that illicit an engaging response.  Gambetti also expands on this by saying it is how the individual perceives the personal value of a product that engenders engagement (Gambetti & Graffigna, 2010) – so in a sense it has to have an intrinsic or altruistic value.  Further Gambetti goes on to discuss how it is that through these experiences engagement is promoted by involving the senses (Gambetti & Graffigna, 2010).  By offering a place where audio, video, pictures, text and community exists we plan to increase the user engagement. 

In order for engagement to occur there has to be more to the experience of product that reaches the person.  Nakamura and Cshikszentminalyi (2002) argue that there has to be a connection to the product or idea – one that transcends the products material value and appeals to our inner “self,” or our sense of there being an altruistic value to the products – a value that a person can attach themselves to, thus forming the basis for engagement. 

As Gambetti alludes to, it is the person’s mental and emotional feelings about the product that illicit an engaging response.  Gambetti also expands on this by saying it is how the individual perceives the personal value of a product that engenders engagement (Gambetti & Graffigna, 2010) – so in a sense it has to have an intrinsic or altruistic value.  Further Gambetti goes on to discuss how it is that through these experiences engagement is promoted by involving the senses (Gambetti & Graffigna, 2010). 

I think the idea that in order for engagement to occur there has to be more to the experience of product that reaches the person.  Nakamura and Cshikszentminalyi (2002) argue that there has to be a connection to the product or idea – one that transcends the products material value and appeals to our inner “self,” or our sense of there being an altruistic value to the products – a value that a person can attach themselves to, thus forming the basis for engagement.  By offering personalized products we plan on capturing this idea of the inner self and appeal directly to our consumer beliefs, needs and wants. 

APPENDIX

Michelle,18-55 years old Michelle, the trendy weekend warrior with disposable income and passion for issues and causes.
Facts: Factual information about your target customer. ·         Like Mike, Michelle works out three or more times a week (considered the minimum to be considered athletic) ·         Michele plays at least one sport, pro, semi pro, recreational or scholastic ·         Michelle cares about how he looks while working out ·         Michelle also wants to buy whatever he perceives to give him an edge ·         Michelle has disposable income ·         Michelle and loves sports fashion and is heavily influenced by this ·
Pain: the problem you believe your customers have. ·         Michelle cares about what other people think, she may be self engaged, and give to charities or causes because it makes her feel good. ·         Michelle cares about what is considered fashionable – sometimes what fashionable is what’s trendy.  ·         Michelle cares about not only how she looks while working out but that she is perceived as wearing a brand that makles her look athletic-minded	Solution your product/cause/service offers ·         Under Armour is a brand that is not only, cool, and trendy but also purports to have a positive effect on its users ·         “Gear engineered to keep athletes cool, dry and light throughout the course of a game, practice or workout,” ("Under Armour Sports Clothing, Athletic Shoes & Accessories", 2015).	Psychological impact or roots of pain ·         Michelle wants to feel good about herself and part of a social group and UA gear can help her ·         Michelle doesn’t care about the expense of being considered cool but can’t find a brand that makes him feel rewarded for paying way above market value for sports apparel.
Behavior: Existing behavior your customers have because they don’t have your solution ·         Michelle hates buying brands that are cool looking but not “label,” trendy ·         Issue that an inferior product will make her feel not part of a group or subculture ·         Feeling the need to bu brands that are geared towards women but are not athletic enough like LuLulemon	How their lives will be transformed by what you offer? ·         They will become part of a brand that aims “To Make All Athletes Better Through Passion, Design And The Relentless Pursuit Of Innovation. ·         Michele will feel like she is part of not only a sub culture of couture sports clothing but also part of a brand that is perceived as being able to provide users with an edge.	Psychological drivers of behavior ·         Cognitive biases: ·         Bandwagon or consensus bias ·         Predictive heuristics – ·         Michele does not use actual data to support his buying choices.  ·
Goals/Needs: What are your customers trying to accomplish through the behavior ·         The need to feel a part of a trendy brand or fashion style ·         The need to associate with a brand that supports and is accepted by people in issues and causes that use athletic events to raise money ·         The need to feel cooler in extreme conditions.	How will your solution allow them to achieve a goal?  Does your solution solve all or part of their goals and needs? ·          The brand is trendy, is perceived as fashionable and has some qualities that appeal to women, like the moisture wicking property as some women are self-conscious about sweating	Psychological drivers of goals and needs ·         Malsow’s hierarchy – sef esteem needs, social and self-actualization needs ·         Cognitive biases

Mike, Male 18-25 years old Mike the hip, must look good while working out 18-25 year old
Facts: Factual information about your target customer. ·         Mike works out three or more times a week (considered the minimum to be considered athletic) ·         Mike plays at least one sport, pro, semi pro or scholastic ·         Mike cares about how he looks while working out ·         Mike also wants to buy whatever he perceives to give him an edge ·         Mike has disposable income ·         Mike is a “trendy-Trevor,” and loves sports fashion and is heavily influenced by his peer ·
Pain: the problem you believe your customers have. ·         Mike wants to look good while working out, but also wants to be perceived as trying anything to give him an edge, sports apparel being only one of his pursuits.  ·         Mike wants desperately to be considered fashion forward	Solution your product/cause/service offers ·         Under Armour is a brand that is not only, cool, and trendy but also purports to have a positive effect on its users ·         “Gear engineered to keep athletes cool, dry and light throughout the course of a game, practice or workout,” ("Under Armour Sports Clothing, Athletic Shoes & Accessories", 2015).	Psychological impact or roots of pain ·         Mike is unhappy with products he buys that do not make him feel “cool,” ·         Mike doesn’t care about the expense of being considered cool but can’t find a brand that makes him feel rewarded for paying way above market value for sports apparel.
Behavior: Existing behavior your customers have because they don’t have your solution ·         Frustration regarding buying products that don’t give them an edge ·         Issues with their inferior products not providing a feature that “wicks,” away moisture and makes cotton clothes sticky ·         Needing to wash their cotton clothes over and over	How their lives will be transformed by what you offer? ·         They will become part of a brand that aims “To Make All Athletes Better Through Passion, Design And The Relentless Pursuit Of Innovation.	Psychological drivers of behavior ·         Cognitive biases: ·         Bandwagon or consensus bias ·         Predictive heuristics – Mike does not use actual data to support his buying choices.
Goals/Needs: What are your customers trying to accomplish through the behavior ·         The desire to sweat less during physical activity ·         The need to use less t shirts and do less laundry ·         The need to feel cooler in extreme conditions.	How will your solution allow them to achieve a goal?  Does your solution solve all or part of their goals and needs? ·          By being engineered with moisture-wicking performance fibers, the shirt helps keep athletes cool, dry, and light in the most brutally hot conditions.	Psychological drivers of goals and needs ·         Malsow’s hierarchy – sef esteem needs, social and self-actualization needs ·         Cognitive biases ·

References

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Jacobs, A., Dreessen, K., & Pierson, J. (2008). "Thick Personas": Using Ethnographic Methods for Persona Development as a Tool for Conveying the Social Science View in Technological Design. Observatorio (OBS*), 2(2).

Fisher, L. (2011, June 7). Nike's new campaign "The Chosen" premieres on Facebook. Retrieved March 29, 2015, from http://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2011/06/07/nikes-new-campaign-the-chosen-premiers-on-facebook/

Olivier, L. (n.d.). The Sporting Life. Retrieved March 31, 2015, from http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/trends/2014-spring-summer/the-sporting-life

Nakamura, J., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2002). The Construction of Meaning through Vital Engagement. In C. L. M. Keyes & J. Haidt (Eds.), Flourishing (pp. 83-104).

Actionable Analytics for the Web. (n.d.). Retrieved March 16, 2015, from http://www.alexa.com

Digital Marketing Optimization Solutions | Compete. (n.d.). Retrieved March 16, 2015, from http://www.compete.com

Social Media Search Tool | WhosTalkin? (n.d.). Retrieved March 16, 2015, from http://www.whostalkin.com/search?q=under armour&x=0&y=0

KeywordSpy. (n.d.). Retrieved March 16, 2015, from http://labs.keywordspy.com/plugin/?n=

Keyword Research & Keyword Tracking Categories. (n.d.). Retrieved March 16, 2015, from http://www.keywordspy.com

Schiffer, J. (2015, February 10). Is Sportswear the Future of Fashion? Retrieved March 31, 2015, from http://www.whowhatwear.com/is-sportswear-the-future-of-fashion/slide7