Under Armour believes that every great sporting moment starts with the feet -- especially feet clad in Under Armour shoes.
The brand's footwear is at the heart of its latest marketing campaign, with the tagline "It Comes From Below."
The first ad, "Numbers," features Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper and his high school baseball coach. It's out in time for Tuesday's MLB All Star Game and the recent debut of a line of Harper signature cleats.
Coach Sam Thomas talks numbers and how they've put pressure on the four-time All Star's career.
"Look, baseball's a numbers game," Thomas says.
As Harper trains in an empty ballpark, the numbers quickly emerge, on seats, scoreboards, sections, a jersey. At the end, the camera zooms in on Harper's feet as he pivots in the batter's box.
"Few understand the importance of perfecting footwork as a core component to their game," Harper says in today's announcement.
The ads, created by the Droga5 agency for TV and digital channels, will showcase the Harper One, the brand's first signature baseball cleat. Harper will wear the newest design, in platinum, during the All Star game.
More from the campaign is coming this fall, including a short film featuring Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton. Also planned are original videos highlighting runners and their stories.
Under Armour got into the athletic shoe business a decade ago, and now the category accounts for 17 percent of sales. It's viewed as a key growth driver in taking on much bigger rival Nike.
Adrienne Lofton, Under Armour senior vice president for global brand marketing, said the campaign reflects that "the journey to greatness starts from below."
"We are committed to creating the most innovative, game changing footwear on the planet," Lofton said.
lorraine.mirabella@baltsun.com