According to the world clothing and footwear network, at the end of 2016, the popular sports brand Under Ar mour appeared the first loss since its listing. In 2017, he experienced layoffs, downgrades, and CEOs' departures... These investors had never thought of going to the Under Armour.
In an era when fashion and sports are more closely integrated, this sports brand that once won the market with performance and technology has become less popular with consumers.
In the latest earnings report released in August, Under Armour (UA) had a net loss of $12.3 million in the second quarter of June 30, and failed to make a profit for two consecutive quarters.
Although the sports wind has been gaining momentum in recent years, and there are more and more people who love sports, the entire sporting goods market is developing in a broader direction. However, this originally strong sports brand has appeared too specialized. The problem.
UA started out as a tight-fitting compression suit and successfully entered the sportswear market with a functional approach that emphasizes the product. Kevin Plank, the former CEO who created the brand, acknowledged that UA is still lacking in fashion in terms of product design.
Consumers are increasingly uncertain about the branding of UA. What does the brand stand for and the more professional it is in which sports? These are blurring consumers. The overall UA brand is still outstanding, but lacks the clarity of the brand. The most important thing is that it is not cool.
High-tech positioning is fast
Since its inception, Under Armour has stood in front of consumers as a technology company, emphasizing the functionality of the clothing, and not overemphasizing the fashion of the appearance.
In 1996, founder and CEO Kevin Plank founded the brand to create high-performance tight-fitting sportswear that quickly wicks away sweat and keeps athletes refreshed and light during strenuous exercise. Since then, with the professionalism and high-tech image of the products, UA has stood out among many sports brands and has been sought after by professional athletes and young people.
In the face of the situation that has been divided by the sports brand giants, UA has quickly entered the market by creating a new product category of tights. The advantage of this is that you can avoid competing with big brands and earn higher profits. And the brand that first entered the market segment often gave consumers the deepest impression, step by step to consolidate their position.
For many sports brands, the materials and concepts used are actually similar. The marketing strategy is how to package technology into exciting concepts and catch the eye of the consumer.
Nike introduces a visual air cushion sole that exposes a portion of the sole to a clear air column to reflect its cushioning capability. Both visually and conceptually, it is particularly easy to understand the concept of "stepping on the air under the feet". Adidas chose to expose Boost, allowing consumers to see or touch the soft and elastic foam particles with the naked eye. In fact, Nike's visual air cushion is a routine that uses technology concepts for marketing.
Tights and professionalism are the levers of the UA to shake the market, emphasizing the shaping, quick drying, perspiration and lightness of technical fabrics. When UA launched the first sports tights, there was no such product on the market. This tight-fitting sportswear was dry, cool and light, meeting the actual needs of athletes and sports enthusiasts. At that time, Nike and Adidas, the giants of the sporting goods industry, did not pay attention to this market and had no related professional products. As soon as the UA tights were launched, the sports brand giants were left behind in the high-performance tights market with a 70% share.
Sports brands are familiar with such routines: new technologies to improve performance, good-looking designs, and sports star blessings can throw some sound in the sports equipment industry.
At the same time, in order to stabilize the market, Under Armour pushes different series of products with different functions, not only cut into the unique functional market segment, but also the tightest sportswear industry has become one of the fastest growing categories in the sportswear industry. UA turns professionalism into a tool for attracting attention. The athletes hope to express the strength and beauty of the muscles by wearing professional sportswear. The tight-fitting sportswear not only meets their actual needs, but also satisfies the psychological pursuit. .
It is undeniable that professionalism and technology have once been a magic weapon for UA to open up the market, but for today's people, they not only want to wear sportswear in the gym, but also want to be able to go out. The less fashionable UA apparently did not keep up with the popular pace.
From professional to fashionable
In recent years, as people pay more attention to health, more and more people have started sports, but the sportswear market has gradually become depressed.
In the second half of 2016, Nike shares fell 11%, Under Armour shares fell 14%, Adidas shares rose 25%, and Puma shares rose 20%. For sports brands, the key to success or failure is product innovation and the ability to grasp the market.
Sports brands only emphasize sports performance is not enough. With the arrival of sports fashion, in the sportswear market, most consumers buy a certain brand of clothing for the trend and comfort, rather than professional sports demand. -- Consumer preferences are shifting from pursuing performance to pursuing everyday wear and style. Sports brands must understand that people are now more concerned about what the stars and reds are wearing than what sports stars wear on the sports field. Sponsoring sports stars emphasizes sports professionalism. The marketing method is outdated. For sports brands, entertainment stars or self-media people are exerting influence on consumers. The ability to bring goods is more than the athletes who are more inclined to sports concepts or some Only the team is bigger.
Let's look at two examples of rising against the trend: Adidas and rapper Kayne West teamed up with Yeezy Boost, Kayne West and wife Kim Kardashian, who have always been the subject of entertainment and fashion. For fashion brands, working with online red and influx people has become a topic on social networks, and then the limited edition of the routine is commonplace. Now Adidas used it on sneakers and it was hot.
Compared to the tragedy of Under Armour's loss, Puma is completely revived by fashion icon Rihanna. After Rihanna became the creative director of Puma, wearing her own shoes to enter the fashion week, a variety of street shooting, let Puma from the sports brand into a sports fashion street card.
However, the similarity between the two examples also proves that the sports brand follows the trend is a dangerous move, and a slight carelessness will be completely abandoned by the original loyal customers of the brand. When the explosions are constantly crafted, the explosion mode becomes a replicable success. The easier it is to copy, the easier it is to be replaced.
Although UA's products are professional enough to be popular on the sports field, it is far from being a cool brand for young people. And until now, we have not seen it ready to cooperate with any popular fried chicken.
Myth has ended, but technological innovation cannot stop
While the product is not fashionable enough to appeal to young people, Under Armour does not continue to be as fascinating as it is in other businesses outside of clothing. Diversification of product structure has become its current priority.
Under Armour faced a narrowing of the market and chose a smarter and more technological way. For example, the smart sneakers were exhibited at CES, and the first “sport recovery pajamas†that helped sleep, and the mobile app update was released. Under Armour posted a new label for "Smart Wearable Technology Vendors" for smart sportswear for high-end users. However, in this new field, it also faces competition with old rivals Adidas and Nike.
At present, we have not seen the changes that Under Armour is making for fashion. The market is unpredictable. It is better to say that people love sports more than they do now. They prefer to use sports or other means to make themselves and socialize. Online accounts look more attractive. If brands want to seize consumers, they should not only grasp the sense of science and technology, but also pay attention to the sense of design and fashion. After all, the development of the garment industry has now produced a more ancient law. The role of the trend is far greater than the functionality. .
For more exciting reports, please pay attention to the world clothing and footwear network.
There are many different types of agate depending on
the colors and formation. Common types of agate include blue agate, moss
agate, green agate, tree and wood agate, Indian black agate, Montana
agate, banded agate, red agate, graveyard point agate. A Mexican agate,
showing only a single eye, has received the name of cyclops agate.
Included matter of a green, golden, red, black or other color or
combinations embedded in the chalcedony and disposed in filaments and
other forms suggestive of vegetable growth, gives rise to dendritic or
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two. But generally speaking, natural agate has cool feeling, like a
painted surface, a layer of wax and a wax luster, translucency, It's the
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Because it is in the molten state to form crystals, so mostly of them
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After grinding the surface is more delicate, rough wood and agate for a dramatic friction, instant, the agate is
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The fake agate is synthetic, part of them are act as a high-quality stone. Its basic features are: Though it has cool handfeel, but there is no waxy feel and gloss. Some of the hardness is low, It is not easy to Score the agate with a knife . broke it and observed the cross-section, in addition to it has not the laminated structure, granular-roughened or hispidulous;Check for any gaps. Opaque, the color is clear-cut. Some unscrupulous traders glue a thin layer of organic on the surface of fake agate, it will giving a waxy luster and good feeling .This gives a person a kind of illusion. Meantime, The name must not let confuse an eye when buying, must notice to distinguish. Please Careful selection .
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2, texture: most of the fake agate are made of imitation stone ,The Texture is more softer than the real one. It is easy to Score the fake agate with a knife , and It is not easy to Score the real one with a knife. On the surface,usually the real one has pure without any defect. The more expensive an item is the more carefully we should examine it for faults.
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