A few months ago, Tushar Goculdas, managing director of Underdog Athletics, was talking with Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra when the conversation turned towards American basketball superstar Stephen Curry. Upon asking him casually on what he liked about his fellow Under Armour brand ambassador, Chopra thought for a whilem then said it was his motto, ‘I can do all things’—which the National Basketball Association player also sports on his sneakers.
This very conversation became the inspiration for Chopra's next Under Armour campaign.
“Our creative head, who was present while I was talking with Chopra, took inspiration from this conversation to create the ‘Zidd for more’ campaign, which perfectly represents Chopra’s spirit and what Under Armour stands for,” Goculdas told Campaign. “Through this campaign, we endeavour to inspire all athletes and strengthen our position as India’s most loved athletic performance brand.”
Goculdas set up Under Armour India in 2018 after spending a decade with Adidas. After successfully running the brand for three years, he was inspired to create his own company Underdog Athletics, which subsquently acquired Under Armour’s India business and has been running it as the brand’s exclusive distributor and licensee in the country since.
Two years ago, the company signed up Chopra as its brand ambassador, as Goculdas believed that he epitomised the 'underdog spirit', which is key chromosome of Under Armour’s DNA. Now, their latest TVC attempts to capture the Indian track and field star’s determination—from picking up a javelin when he was 13 and winning global championships before he was 25 years old to the pain of dealing with recent muscle injuries, and overcoming these to continue on his winning streak at the National Federation Cup.
Exemplifying Chopra’s tenacity
The latest Under Armour India film (which debuted over this past weekend) was created by Infectious Advertising and opens with the line ‘Har taiyaari se badkar hai ziddari (more than preparation comes persistence) a personal belief that Chopra lives by and demonstrates in his personal and professional life. The team decided to present this in the young champion’s voice to better represent his journey, struggles, failures and his persistence (zidd) to overcome the curveballs thrown his way.
Chopra’s grit paid off when he won India’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in athletics in Tokyo in 2020, and became a sporting superstar overnight. Since then, he has won almost every major event that he competed in. The 26-year-old athlete is considered India’s strongest bet for bagging medals at the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics, and the nation’s hopes are encapsulated in the ad, which ends with the line ‘Zidd kehti hai, tu sher ban chhore, poora desh dahadega’ (be a lion, and the nation will roar for you).
Wanting the ad to echo Chopra’s spirit, the brand chose to retain his indigenous Haryanvi accent rather than translating it into English. Goculdas explained that the message resonates more deeply this way, even if everyone might not comprehend the linguistic nuances. “Authenticity is more important for us than broad commercial success,” he emphasised.
Voicing his delight with his Under Armour association over the years, Chopra chimed in, “It is great to have Under Armour supporting me, not just with the high-performance gear that enhances my performance during my training and competition, but also in sharing my journey to inspire the next generation of Indian athletes. This campaign resonates deeply with me because it carries a message I firmly believe in: stay focused, work hard, and pursue your dreams relentlessly."
Divyanshu Singh, chief operating officer of JSW Sports, which has exclusively managed Chopra since 2017, has been excited to see the campaign come to life, as he believes that the player “has significantly inspired the next generation of Indian athletes and contributed to the growth of athletics” in India. “His success has unlocked the marketing potential of Olympic sports in the country,” he added.
Under Armour chose to launch the ‘Zidd for more’ during the recently concluded T20 World Cup series instead of digital platforms, to gain extensive reach, particularly during the semifinal and final matches. “We aired a shorter 30-second version of the ad, as a 90-second ad would have been too long for TV,” Goculdas shared.
Advertising remains a crucial vehicle for creating interest and driving consumer actions for the athletic wear brand, and it keeps monitoring which campaigns move the needle when it comes to user engagement. For instance, it saw a massive increase in website traffic and Google searches when it ran ads during the T20 World Cup.
Tracking this data also allows the company to see the impact of its communication efforts on its direct-to-consumer channels, i.e. its physical stores, website, or ecommerce platforms. which in turn enables it to monitor and adjust its strategies effectively, especially as it subscribes to the belief of not having sales or discounts for its products.
Band of brand ambassadors
This is Under Armour’s third year of partnering with Chopra and it prefers activating its marketing around his competitive season—he trains for six to seven months and competes for four months each year. In addition to the recent T20 World Cup, this year, they will leverage major sporting events like Euro 2024 and Wimbledon to promote their campaigns.
Goculdas revealed that plans are also underway to introduce newer brand ambassadors; athletes across disciplines who “embody Under Armour's values of determination, relentlessness, authenticity, and an underdog mindset”. Incidentally, Chopra himself mentioned the importance of building a team when he was onboarded as brand ambassador.
The company is evaluating young athletes who not only perform well in their sport, but also have the potential to make a significant impact globally, though many of them are still teenagers and haven't yet made a big splash. While Goculdas emphasised that the company is building this team of brand ambassadors, it is not because Chopra has peaked.
“He still has a long way to go in his career and popularity. We do have a bunch of young athletes in mind, but we want to ensure they align with our values and can benefit from our products."
Going beyond the moment
Rather than concentrate on reactive marketing, Under Armour's marketing strategy is integrated into its brand ambassadors' performance. It believes that this approach ensures constant visibility and relevance without needing specific tactical campaigns for specific events.
“We don't focus on short-term gimmicks or moment marketing. For example, Chopra is always seen wearing Under Armour, whether he's competing, training, or in casual settings. This consistent visibility supports our long-term strategy rather than short-term sales spikes. Our attention is on building Under Armour the right way, without relying on tactical, moment-based marketing,” Goculdas said.
Without sharing specific percentage that the company has earmarked for marketing, he maintained that it is higher as compared to the other players in the retail and sports industry, “possibly the highest”. He explained that this because the company is growing rapidly and entering new cities.
Since launching its first store five years ago, Under Armour now has 40 outlets across 25 cities, with another 12 more in the pipeline. “Our marketing ratio remains high to inform new markets about our presence. This approach will stay consistent, with occasional spikes for major campaigns,” he elaborated.
With the 'Zidd for more' campaign in India, the brand is focusing on the personal and intense pregame moments of Chopra, aiming to inspire a generation of Indians, who will eagerly watching the player as he strives for Olympic glory.
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