Under Armor is reducing the placement of its logo on some key shoe silhouettes in hopes of getting consumers interested in wearing its shoes outside of the gym.
During a call with analysts to discuss the company's third-quarter results, CEO Stephanie Linnertz explained how the company's Baltimore, Maryland-based shoe design team He explained why he chose a more subtle placement of the logo. facing in alternate directions. The fashion-conscious shift comes as brands that have historically focused on performance put more emphasis on designing lifestyle shoes.
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For example, Under Armor's Forge 96 lifestyle sneakers feature a mesh and nubuck leather upper with a small, subtle UA logo on the heel tab. The brand's UA Summit Trek shoes also feature a small, almost hard-to-see UA logo on the side of the shoe.
Williams Trading analyst Sam Poser cited the Forge 96 as an example of Under Armor's improved product in a note to investors last week, highlighting the shoe's “subtle logo treatment.” On a conference call with Under Armor analysts on Thursday, Poser asked Linnertz about the company's philosophy on logo use, especially on products like the Forge, saying, “There's no need to scream with a big UA logo, just a general “It seems to be doing better than most products that don't.” -Curry products.
“At the Forge and some other places, [the logos are] They are there, but they are more discrete,” Poser told Linnerts on the phone Thursday. “It makes the shoe more flexible and more active than having a big Under Armor logo on the side of the shoe. Being more subtle seems to be more stylish, regardless of the shoe or apparel design. .”
Linnertz said that while the logo strategy varies depending on the type of shoe, style is always a factor. “Our design team always does a great job of finding the most appropriate, elegant and stylish way to place a logo,” she said.
Brands like Nike may be able to foster demand and loyalty for their shoes by prominently featuring their iconic Swoosh, but Under Armor's logo isn't as popular. . Also, the company's $1.5 billion shoe business will account for only a quarter of its total revenue in 2023, smaller than Nike's massive shoe business, which accounts for more than half of its total sales.
For Under Armor, growth in footwear is all about winning in the lifestyle category. In pursuit of this broader goal, the company recently appointed rock 'n' roll-inspired menswear designer John Varvatos as chief design officer and PUMA's former head of sports style footwear Yassin Saidi as chief product officer. was appointed.
“We are constantly evolving and, like all world-class brands, we will continue to consider the best ways to use our logo,” Linnertz said. He also said that most of the new products coming in the lifestyle footwear category will start hitting the market in spring/summer 2025.
“Through it all, our talented design team will figure out the best way to place the Under Armor logo for maximum benefit,” she said. “We are excited about where the product is going, including making the most of the logo.”
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