Stephanie Linnartz, President & CEO of Under Armour
Jan 18, 2024
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Stephanie Linnartz, President and CEO of Under Armour, discusses her transition from Marriott International, the company's focus on the female athlete, their loyalty program, the impact of Taylor Swift on sports apparel brands, their social impact initiatives, advice for female professionals, and future plans for Under Armour.
Stephanie Linnartz chose to bet on herself and take on the CEO role at Under Armour, highlighting the importance of embracing new challenges and seizing opportunities.
Under Armour's loyalty program goes beyond points for merchandise purchases, focusing on building a community, providing unique experiences, and gathering consumer insights.
Under Armour prioritizes social impact through partnerships and initiatives like Project Rampart and collaborations with athletes, aligning with their commitment to making a difference through sport.
Deep dives
Stephanie Lenart's Transition from Marriott to Under Armour
Stephanie Lenart, the President Chief Executive Officer of Under Armour, discusses her decision to leave Marriott and take on the CEO role at Under Armour. She explains her passion for a new challenge and her love for sports, which aligns with Under Armour's focus on athletic performance. Lenart highlights the similarities between running a big global hospitality brand like Marriott and running a big global consumer products brand like Under Armour, emphasizing the importance of building consumer love, brand loyalty, and creating unique experiences. She also mentions the significance of listening to athletes and solving their problems through innovative solutions.
The Under Armour Loyalty Program and Consumer Insights
Under Armour has recently launched its loyalty program, which offers points for merchandise purchases, similar to other retailers' loyalty programs. However, the company aims to go beyond just points for purchases. They focus on building a community and providing unique experiences to their customers, such as access to athletes and early product drops. The loyalty program also allows Under Armour to gather data and gain insights about their consumers to better meet their needs and preferences. Early metrics show encouraging signs of increased repeat customers and positive financial impact.
Partnerships with Projects and Foundations
Under Armour is actively involved in partnerships and initiatives that contribute to communities and support athletes. One notable project is Project Rampart, where Under Armour renovated every public high school in Baltimore, outfitting their teams and supporting their coaches. This effort helped increase the high school graduation rate and positively impact young athletes' lives. Under Armour also collaborates with athletes like Steph Curry and his Eat, Learn, and Play Foundation, promoting education, nutrition, and physical activity. These partnerships align with Under Armour's values and their commitment to making a difference through sport.
Identifying and Nurturing Young Athlete Talent
Under Armour places a strong emphasis on identifying and nurturing young athlete talent through their UA Next program. This program involves camps, events, and training opportunities for high school athletes, providing a platform to discover emerging talent and gain insights into their needs and preferences. UA Next serves as a focus group to guide Under Armour's product development and marketing strategies. By engaging with young athletes early, Under Armour aims to build a connection with their core target demographic and create a lasting relationship.
Future Focus: Expansion of Product Offerings and Market Presence
Under Stephanie Lenart's leadership, Under Armour plans to expand its product offerings, particularly in the areas of sport style footwear, sneakers, and women's apparel. They aim to provide a wider range of options in the better and best part of the product pyramid, catering to different consumer preferences and driving growth. Additionally, Under Armour seeks to strengthen its market presence by exploring new distribution outlets and partnerships, positioning the brand in sneaker boutiques, department stores, and other retail spaces to reach a wider audience.
On this episode of Walker Webcast, Willy was once again joined by Stephanie Linnartz. Since she was last on the webcast in 2021, she made a major career change, from President of Mariott to President and Chief Executive Officer of Under Armour.
According to Stephanie, “I decided to take my own advice – to bet on myself and take a chance. That’s what led me to this job.”
She and Willy discussed similarities and differences between running Mariott and Under Armour, the company’s new focus on the female athlete, Under Armour’s brand loyalty program, the “Taylor Swift Effect” on sports apparel brands, the company’s focus on social impact and organizations they’re partnering with, advice she’d give to female professionals, and what we can expect to see from Under Armour in the years to come.
Watch or listen to the replay.
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