Since its creation in 1996, Under Armour has provided athletes and adventurers worldwide with high-quality gear to help them perform at their best.
With a wide range of products available, Under Armour is a major competitor against other big names like Nike and Adidas.
The propelled increase in popularity for Under Armour can be largely due to the company’s strong brand and its even more excellent products.
This article will explore how the Under Armour brand came to be and the logo’s impact on the company’s success.
Under Armour: A Brief History
Kevin Plank, 23 years old and captain of the University of Maryland football team’s special teams, established Under Armour in 1996.
The idea came to him when he played football and realized that his compression shorts kept him much drier than his regular shirts.
Plank sold his first batch of shirts, made from a synthetic fabric that wicks away moisture from the back of his car and out of his grandmother’s basement.
At the end of 1996, he landed his first big sale when he sold sportswear to an entire team for $17,000. Have you wondered where is Under Armour is made?
Kevin Plank chose the company name “Armor” because the British spelling of the term was still available as a toll-free vanity number.
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However, with their financial resources today, Under Armour could buy out any amount of their employees.
With $232.6 million in revenue in 2015 and some of the world’s most famous athletes wearing their products, the label soon gained many competitors, such as Nike, Adidas, and Reebok, who released similar versions of moisture-wicking shirts.
Though moisture-wicking technology originally established Under Armour as a brand, it now offers gear for all sorts of activities and weather conditions, from cold-weather gear to warm t-shirts.
The company sells athletic apparel and footwear, always striving to improve its products by making them more aerodynamic, durable, and easy to use.
Under Armour places its logo on all its products, recognizable to everyone–from the average sports fan to an NFL player. Do you think Under Armour is expensive?
The Under Armour Logo Meaning And History
Although it’s a newer company, Under Armour has made quite the name for itself globally with its trendy and easily recognizable minimalist logo.
This can be seen in the clothing worn by young people all over, like t-shirts, sweatshirts, and baseball caps. A monogram of the company’s first and last letters forms the logo representing modern design and advancement.
1996 — 1997
The now-iconic black-and-white Under Armour logo first appeared in 1996. The symbol consisted of two mirrored, overlapping arches representing the letters “U” and “A,” with the words “Under Armour” and “UA” beneath them.
The top floor displayed “Under,” while the bottom read “Armour” with the slogan “Athletic Apple.” A sleek serif font gave the words a look of sophistication.
1997 — 1998
The new logo is an elongated oval with the primary wordmark along the top and the tagline below. The typeface used for this project was a strong, square sans-serif with softer and rounder letter shapes.
1998 — 1999
A redesigned, all-gray version of the symbol was introduced in 1998. The writing was placed below the image inside a large oval frame and featured a new, more contemporary typeface.
1999 — 2005
In 1999, in addition to allowing their clothes’ quality to speak for themselves, Under Armour also switched from a constantly changing color palette of fashionable grays to a sleek monochrome one.
They placed the new “Performance Apparel” wording under the horizontal line that separates the primary inscription from supplemental writing.
They created a bold logo that complemented the “Under Armour” logotype in a futuristic font.
2005 — Today
In 2005, we cut out the horizontal line and slogan from our logo, Leaving only the classic elm ken in its original form. The color scheme remains black and white.
Design Elements Of The Under Armour Logo
The Under Armour logo comprises two “U”s, one inverted, and the words “Under Armour” are written in black letters below.
When put together, however, the two parts of the logo create a sharp crisscross that is easily recognized. The attractive design serves as the primary feature of all Under Armour apparel.
Under Armour’s uniquely created typeface symbolizes the company perfectly. The gear is comfortable yet tough and resilient, highlighted by the smooth edges mixed with sharp points in the font.
Recognition Of The Under Armour Symbol
Under Armour’s success was built on the ability to rearrange its logo. In their first year in business, they landed a large contract with Jeff George of the Oakland Raiders.
This coverage helped put them on the map and establish them as a force to be reckoned with in the athletic apparel industry.
The media gave the brand more coverage, and teams from all over took note.
Kevin Plank received orders from many Division I football teams, including the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Arizona State Sun Devils, North Carolina State Wolfpack, etc.
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The global popularity of the Under Armour brand is still a major driving force behind the company’s success in the apparel industry.
While much of its advertising focuses on the practicality of its clothing, fashion and aesthetic appeal are always two of the most important factors in this sector. All of their clothing prominently displays the Under Armour logo.
Under Armour made sure its logo carried significant meaning. Under Armour’s emblem is supposed to reflect speed, strength, and athleticism in the same way that the Rolex crown symbolizes wealth and sophistication.
It is considered an honor to wear any clothing with Under Armour’s logo because it represents the wearer’s values and culture.
Under Armour has such a favorable association with its logo that it can sell products like hotcakes, even if the logo is the only distinguishing design element. A great logo is only one step to reaching the level of success that Under Armour has. You need a fantastic logo along with a powerful marketing strategy.
If Under Armour had not invested so much in advertising, the positive connotations people associate with their logo design would not be as beneficial to the brand’s profitability.
The Under Armour logo is a great example of how powerful and essential a good logo can be for any business.
This factor has contributed significantly to the brand’s success over the years.
Conclusion
The Under Armour logo is one of the most well-recognized logos in the world. Its long and successful history is attributed to the company’s focus on advertising and creating a powerful brand identity.
The sleek design of the logo is attractive and easily recognizable, making it perfect for placement on all of their garments.
The emblem’s meaning perfectly reflects the company’s values, which helps create a positive association with the brand for consumers.
Thanks to its effective marketing strategy and iconic logo design, Under Armour has become one of the leading companies in the athletic apparel industry.