Two Reasons Why I Hate This Ad

One: it’s silly. You’d have to be Usain Bolt on the greatest steroids on earth to be able to steal two bases on one pitch. Maybe “Dash” from The Incredibles was the stand-in. Whoever it was, I clocked him at about 63 MPH.

Two: Even though it’s one of the most authentically inaccurate ads I’ve seen in a long time, it will still work. It follows the Under Armour formula: dark, grainy, super slo-mo film, ominous music, tough-as-nails athlete, which combined make for the heart pounding intensity of which UA devotees can’t get enough.

There’s nothing wrong with a formula. For Under Armour, there’s everything right about a formula. They don’t have the cash that Big Boys like Nike have for marketing, so the more consistent their communications looks, the better their branding and brand meaning.

And make no mistake, they’re up against the Big Boys. They’re selling shoes here. Nike’s turf. It’s a huge step for them and if they’re going to kick Nike’s butts the way they did with clothes, they may need to stretch themselves beyond their formula. The same UA just may not be enough.