In case you missed the 15 second teaser spots on Monday Night Football this week, we remind you that Under Armour’s basketball launch hits the marketplace tomorrow. Interestingly, Foot Locker appears to have locked up THE key player in the whole marketing effort, Brandon Jennings. He’ll be appearing at a Milwaukee mall for the launch. No, not the UA flagship store in Maryland. The Foot Locker in Milwaukee. Who cares? Footlocker and UA do. This is a subtle but relevant start to a partnership that historically got off on the wrong foot (pun actually intended). Look for FL to be a key component of the basketball strategy as it moves beyond its four shoe debut.
Beyond UA, we’re also including a banner ad from today’s ESPN homepage. Yes, the NBA starts up again this weekend so it makes sense to see an increasing marketing push behind the category. However, we point out another subtlety which supports our ongoing thesis that the retailers win when R&D, marketing, and competition heat up in the space. Take a look at the co-op branding below. Can you guess who paid for this one?
Eric Levine
Director
