Under Armour Launches I WILL WHAT I WANT™, Its Largest Ever Global Women's Marketing Campaign

Campaign introduces "Women of Will" who define what it means to be an athletic female

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Jul 31, 2014, 02:00 ET

NEW YORK, July 31, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Under Armour (NYSE: UA) launched I WILL WHAT I WANT™, its most expansive global women's marketing campaign to-date, at a press event in New York City. Drawn from the brand's iconic I WILL™ mantra, I WILL WHAT I WANT™ celebrates the inner and outer strength of women and highlights the brand's commitment to designing elevated products for athletic females. At the event, moderated by popular television personality Sage Steele, Under Armour Founder and CEO Kevin Plank and Senior Vice President and Creative Director Leanne Fremar introduced the new campaign with the help of world champion downhill skier Lindsey Vonn, American Ballet Theatre® soloist Misty Copeland, and US Women's National Soccer Team standout Kelley O'Hara.

Misty Copeland, a soloist in the American Ballet Theatre, in Under Armour's I WILL WHAT I WANT(TM) campaign. (PRNewsFoto/Under Armour) (PRNewsFoto/Under Armour)

The campaign features an all-star roster of trailblazing female talent, including Vonn, Copeland, O'Hara and professional tennis player Sloane Stephens. Creative elements depict real moments of will that each woman has faced in her life, capturing the grace and determination that defined each of them in their personal triumphs. Copeland, the first non-traditional athlete to join the Under Armour family, stars in the campaign's principal creative spot.

"Today's athletic female expects the same level of performance and authenticity from her apparel and footwear as the world-class female athlete," said Fremar. "In addition, she has expectations that the brands she trusts will also deliver the same style quotient that exists in the rest of her closet. Our new I WILL WHAT I WANT campaign connects Under Armour to the breadth of women's athletic experiences and recognizes that their individual stories are central to the conversation."

"I've been a part of the Under Armour family for nearly a decade, and like me, the brand has grown and changed over that period of time," said Vonn. "The I WILL WHAT I WANT campaign demonstrates Under Armour's ongoing celebration of strong and determined women as well as the fearless attitude it takes to explore new heights. That's a part of the brand's culture that has always resonated strongly with me, and the latest chapter in the Under Armour Women's story takes it one step further."

"I am excited to be part of the new Under Armour Women's campaign and to be able to inspire women as they find the will to pave their own way, just as I have in my own career," said Copeland. "I am honored to be a part of a brand that recognizes the power of hard work and dedication over fate and luck. That kind of inner strength is what keeps me going."

Under Armour worked with NYC-based creative agency Droga5 to develop extensive campaign content, including a 60-second spot featuring Copeland that launched globally online today and debuts on television in the US on Monday, August 4^th. The spot will air on multiple networks including ESPN, E!, MTV and ABC. To view the full video, please visit IWILLWHATIWANT.com. Digitally, the brand will advertise with media partners Glamour, Mode, People, Refinery29, Us Weekly, Well + Good and more. Other campaign elements include out-of-home, grassroots and international extensions.

The digital campaign centers on the launch of a new mobile experience via IWILLWHATIWANT.com, available on iPhone and iPod touch on the App Store, and coming later to other platforms. The digital experience will serve as a community for women to track, analyze, and share their fitness and athletic lifestyle. Vonn, Copeland, O'Hara, Stephens and other Under Armour athletes will actively participate, providing consumers with unique insights into their day-to-day activity and motivations.

At the launch event, Under Armour also showcased products from the Under Armour Women Fall/Winter 2014 collection, including the UA SpeedForm® StudioLux™ shoe and apparel from the new UA Street Sleek line. The latest collection features a heightened design aesthetic while adhering to the Universal Guarantee of Performance, Under Armour's commitment to creating the best and most innovative gear on the market. To shop the entire Fall/Winter Women's collection, visit UA.com.

To follow the I WILL WHAT I WANT story and to learn more about Under Armour Women's, visit IWILLWHATIWANT.com, facebook.com/UnderArmourWomen and join the conversation on Twitter @UAWomen and on Instagram @UnderArmourWomen with #IWILLWHATIWANT.

About Under Armour, Inc.

Under Armour (NYSE: UA), the originator of performance footwear, apparel and equipment, revolutionized how athletes across the world dress. Designed to make all athletes better, the brand's innovative products are sold worldwide to athletes at all levels. Under Armour's wholly owned subsidiary, MapMyFitness, powers one of the world's largest Connected Fitness communities. The Under Armour global headquarters is in Baltimore, Maryland. For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.uabiz.com.

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SOURCE Under Armour